Whirlwind
by aspire2write
Summary: Best friends Bella and Alice thought they had everything. Living the good life in Dallas, Texas, they were successful, funloving, and ready to face the world. Now if only their love lives would cooperate! See inside for full summary...
1. Prologue

**AN: It's finally here! Welcome to Whirlwind. I hope it doesn't disappoint. It's definitely got a different feel from my last story, Gradual Healing. Bella's not the same, much more crass and comfortable with herself. This is set in Dallas, Texas, so it's got a southern feel to it. I hope that comes across well. I've lived in Texas all my life, so I didn't realize it'd be so difficult to write it. Livin it is one thing, but bein able to covey it in writing is a whole nother. Submit a review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter. **

**I plan to update once a week on Sunday or Monday. I'm goin camping this week so, it may be Monday before I get chapter one out. I love answerin reviews so send 'em my way. If you don't know why I did something, ask. I don't mind discussing it with you. Now, without further ado...**

**Official Summary: Best friends Bella and Alice thought they had everything. Living the good life in Dallas, Texas, they were successful, funloving, and ready to face the world. Now if only their love lives would cooperate! Alice is tired of being alone and Bella has given up on finding Mr. Right and settled for Mr. Right Now. What happens when a force of nature shakes their very foundation and pushes them to examine their lackluster love lives. So what if they didn't have the fairytale...nobody said they couldn't create their own fireworks and happy endings.**

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**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Prologue**_

**Bella's POV**

I sat on the couch, my laptop resting on my lap. My eyes were bleary as I stared at the screen. The scrawling lightening was making it hard for my eyes to stay adjusted to the glow of the screen. It clawed at the sky creating a hauntingly beautiful scene. The D Magazine article I had to submit the following day was being elusive. I needed to finish it before my tornado of a friend arrived. Once she tore through that door, all hell would break loose and there would be no concentrating on the piece. I checked the blue digital clock above my practically new 52' LCD flat-screen television. It was 6:47pm. Alice would be here soon, but I had time if I could just pound out something.

I was glad when Edward offered to drive her over. He was passing by anyway on his way to a nighttime shoot in Plano. We wouldn't have to worry about her car tomorrow when we went shopping. I couldn't wait to see what he photographed. His after dark photos were always gorgeous. I looked out the window to watch the heavy sheets of slanted rain and wind whip the trees in the front yard. I hoped he had better luck with the weather on location though it wasn't far from Garland so chances were slim.

I had the television on but muted. I was keeping an eye on it in case the weatherwoman came on the give any updates. She issued a thunderstorm warning earlier in the day, and Mother Nature did not disappoint. Currently, Dallas County was under a tornado watch. That meant conditions were favorable for a tornado, but there were no sightings yet. I wasn't too worried. Yes, I lived in Tornado Alley, but I had lived her for six years without a tornado.

I turned back to my article hoping to get it hammered out. A loud crack of thunder sounded causing me to jump. I checked the clock again. 7:04. She was supposed to arrive at 7:15. I glanced at the television to see the weatherwoman on the screen. I reached for the remote and unmuted the television.

"I repeat, a tornado warning has been issued-" A loud clap of thunder cut her off and reverberated through the room; the lights flickered and died.

The storm outside seemed to have calmed and quieted. The wind was a light breeze and the sky looked an odd green color. I sat my laptop aside and walked to the window. I looked outside and everything was eerily calm. The atmosphere felt statically charged as if waiting. For what I didn't know. Then a siren pierced the silence.

It took me a moment to realize it was the tornado siren, as I had never heard it before. My eyes grew wide as I looked to the west in time to see a funnel form and descend from the sky. A high-pitched whine started and the wind picked up again. I snatched my phone, the flashlight I had set out earlier, and my laptop. I grabbed a thick blanket and went into the hall closet.

I covered myself and frantically dialed Alice's number. I could hear the house groaning and things snapping. The phone had no signal. Glass shattered and things smashed into the walls. My breathing and heartbeat increased. _Oh God. What's happening? _The sounds were horrific and made worse by the inability to see what was happening. I heard what sounded like knocking and wondered what it could be. I thought about pressing closer to the door until I _felt_ the house shift. I hovered into a corner and crouched as low as I could.

_I'm going to die._ That was the only thought running through my head. I felt things falling. They were so light I thought it was shoeboxes and clothes. Then heavier things started falling, but I didn't dare pull off the blanket and investigate. I couldn't tell if it was two minutes or two hours later when things calmed and quieted. _Is it over? _I was about to uncover and venture out to inspect the damage; that is, until I heard a loud groan, then crack, and froze. I extended my legs in front of me the adrenaline fading and making my body ache.

Without warning, something shifted, and I both felt and heard the ceiling collapse. Debris fell heavily onto my body. I covered my head in the vain attempt to protect myself, but there was just too much. It wasn't a chunk of the ceiling. It was the whole house. It collapsed in a cacophony of groans, snaps, cracks, and pops. The pain was instantaneous and severe. I felt a stinging sensation as something fell on my legs, then my breath was knocked out of me when I felt a piece of the house slam into my chest.

I tried to move, but my legs wouldn't budge; something pinned them down. I could feel something constricting my chest. It was getting harder and harder to breath. I panted shallowly praying for the oxygen I needed. I reached for my phone, but it wasn't there. I tried to scream, but I couldn't find my voice. _Not like this. I don't want to die like this._ I hadn't talked to Charlie in two weeks. I hadn't done everything I wanted to do. I hadn't told _him_ everything I wanted to.

I opened my eyes, but it was dark. I don't know if my vision tunneled. I don't know if I could even see. I don't know if being trapped was real or my body was too weak to fight. I don't know much of anything after that first piece fell on me. I do know, it hurt like hell and it was too hard to breathe. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.


	2. Ch 1

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 1**_

**Bella's POV**

**24 March (Tuesday)**

_Lacey Raines never thought her perpetual clumsiness would result in anything other than trouble. Daniel Russo never thought a graveyard shift in the ER would include more than treating patients. Both were pleasantly surprised when Lacey literally tripped into his arms in the hallway. After casting her broken ankle, Daniel walked her to the discharge desk and turned to leave. Unable to part with her he turned back and bumped into her as she was wobbling after him. Luckily, he steadied her before she fell._

_They're both smiling at the other and chuckling over their danger-ridden meeting while recounting the events of that fateful day. Two years later, Daniel decided to ask Lacey to spend the rest of their lives together. He had the perfect proposal planned including a romantic dinner, a stroll through the park, and finally the question spelled out in roses. True to Lacey form, they never made it that far. Her heel got caught on the way up the stairs to _Abacus_, a local five star restaurant. _

_They went to the hospital where Lacey discovered she had broken her ankle, the same one as two years prior. They are arguing over Daniel's behavior at the ER. He claims to have been watching the intern to make sure she was doing everything correctly. Lacey corrects him, and says he was "running around like a madman with worry." To come full circle, Daniel accidently bumped into when she stood with the aid of crutches. The ring fell from his pocket as he steadied her. He picked up the ring and held it out to her. It wasn't the eloquent speech he planned, but Lacey said it was perfect._

"_I'm sorry today didn't go as planned," Lacey retold his speech. "I told you that day I wouldn't let you fall. Let me do that forever."_

_Ten months later they sit here freshly tanned, or in Daniel's case sunburned, from their ten-day honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro. The couple wed at _Bolt Space_ with a gathering of their 300 closest friends and family in what Lacey calls the perfect ceremony. __It takes a small village to pull off the perfect wedding - or at least a team of seasoned professionals. The information below was provided by the couple. _

I huffed as I shoved the laptop away. I didn't want to look at the god-awful article another second. I hated writing for the wedding section. _Fucking richies._ Someone gets a bit of money and thinks they're entitled to whatever they please. Lacey and Daniel were nice during the interview, but their wedding had cashed out at $1.2 million. Such a waste of money, and with the economy the way it was…I despised the wealthy sometimes.

I have to admit, they're not all wasteful. I had met a few exceptions, like my best friend and her family. Alice grew up lacking nothing. Her father was Chief of Surgery at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, a Top 100 hospital in the nation. Her mother also worked there as an anesthesiologist. Then to top it all off, the Cullen family were old money. In Chicago, where Carlisle and Esme were originally from, the Cullen name went back decades. They got rich off steel or metal, something like that.

You never would never have known unless they said something though. They lived 'modestly' as Alice said. Our definitions didn't exactly sync, but whatever. She was nicer than anyone I had ever met, and damn was she full of energy. She could wear me out just listening to her talk. We met six years ago when I moved here to Garland, Texas. We were both new to the area which started a tentative friendship; tentative for about ten minutes. Alice didn't do things half-assed.

I pulled the laptop back reluctantly. The deadline was two days away so I needed to finish editing. The piece was unbearably…sickly sweet. It was nothing like what I wanted, but I knew what Ben would want. He was the editor, and you don't question the editor. The first time I wrote for the wedding section of D Magazine, the article had been "too realistic. It needs to include magic, fanaticism." _Gag._ It had to be rewritten. The ringing phone pulled me from my thoughts.

"Hello," I answered while still focusing on the article.

"Bella, how are you?" he answered. _Speak of the devil. _

"I'm good Mr. Cheney. How about yourself?"

"It's just Ben. Remember, just because I'm your editor doesn't mean you have to be so formal."

"Ben. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful. I just wanted to check to see how the article was coming along."

"I'm actually editing it right now. I just have to get the ceremony information listed below. I'll have it e-mailed to you in…oh, about an hour."

"That's wonderful. That's wonderful. I was calling to discuss a piece you might be interested in." _Here it goes._ I so didn't want to do another wedding write up again in the near future.

"Oh? What did you have in mind?" I started transferring the information from my notes to the article.

"Well, I was hoping you'd be interested in a humanitarian piece." I stopped typing to key into the conversation.

"Keep talking."

"Bella, I love what you've done with the wedding pieces. I know they're not your favorite, and I know how much you've compromised your writing style for them. I've been rereading over some of your old stuff, and I really liked your humanitarian pieces. I'd like to see what you can do."

"Ben, I don't know what to say." The prospect was appealing, but I didn't know what parameters he'd place on it. I'd already learned he had very specific tastes. "What did you have in mind?"

"I don't. It's something I want to leave fully up to you." I could hear shuffling papers on his end. "I was thinking about having it published, contingent on approval, in mid-May or early June. If you decide to take it, I'd want an outline by April 30th. We'd decide then whether or not to move forward and pick a deadline."

"Really? No catches? I get to choose the subject and everything?" He laughed, but I couldn't have cared less. This was what I had wanted. This was the chance I'd been waiting on.

"Really, Bella. It's yours if you want it."

"Yes. Yes. I want it." I pushed the laptop aside and curled my legs underneath me. "Thank you, Ben. I really appreciate this opportunity."

"You earned it. In the meantime, I have two wedding articles with your name on 'em." I felt my stomach roll at the thought, but a girl's gotta make a living.

"Sure, Ben. Send the names and contact info along with the deadlines. I'll take it from there."

"Thanks, Bella. I'll send them to you within the hour."

We said our goodbyes, and I hung up before pulling the laptop back to me to finish the current wedding article. Once Lacey and Daniel's details were on the page I saved the document and sent a copy to Ben. I still couldn't believe the article he just gave me control over. It was going to be great. I needed to celebrate. I picked up the phone and called Alice's shop. She was working today, but maybe she could sneak away for lunch. It only rang twice before her chipper voice answered.

"Thanks for calling _Brazen Boutique_. This is Alice. How may I help you?" Alice had gone to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. She moved to Garland after graduation and opened _Brazen Boutique_ in Dallas with the help of her parents. It was a lingerie shop where she sold her own designs. She was incredibly talented at designing, and I knew one day she'd go big. She deserved it.

"Well Alice, I was wondering if you had time to pencil me in for lunch," I answered in a matching voice.

"Bella! How are you? How's the article coming? Where do you want to meet for lunch?" I laughed at her enthusiasm because, hell, I was feeling it today too.

"Good. Done. Panera."

"11:30?" I looked at the clock. It was 10:45. That was just enough time to get dressed and to the sandwich place.

"Okay." I heard the bell chime on her end of the phone. "Customer," we both said at the same time and giggled. "See you soon."

"Great. Bye!" I hung up and shook my head. It really scared me to realize how much she was rubbing off on me.

I hopped off the couch and made my way back to my bedroom. I ran my hand along the wall loving the feel of the textured paint job. I bought the house when I moved to Garland six years prior. It wasn't much with two bedrooms and one bathroom, but it was mine. I finished payments two months ago, and it felt wonderful to be a homeowner. Now, I just needed a new vehicle. The truck my father gave me when I was sixteen was old then. Twelve years later, the thing was ancient. I'd go shopping next week.

I walked into my room and smiled. Alice had gone with me to pick linens and things, but it still reflected me. The sheets were red and the comforter was turquoise with a thick red thread design. All the furniture was white, the bed, the dresser, the nightstand, and the mirrored tower chest. I loved this furniture. I pulled on a plain white t-shirt, one of my favorite draped cardigans, and dark was jeans . I paired the outfit with the Michael Kors Lucille Scrunch Boots, a gift courtesy of Alice. I felt good, so I wanted to look good. I grabbed my keys and hurried out the door to my truck.

"Come on baby," I cooed to the piece of shit. "Start for me the first time. You can do it." She started on the first rotation, and I kissed the steering wheel in thanks. I pulled out of the driveway and headed for Dallas. Since we were meeting early, I'd be able to beat most of the traffic. I pulled into the parking lot at 11:25.

**Alice's POV**

Today was going to be a good day. Well, it would be good in the end, but it wouldn't be pleasant. I woke from a dream where Edward and Tanya were fighting. That was normal; they fought often. This last dream though seemed more serious than the others did. It was going to end soon, and the dream made it seem close. It wouldn't be tragic as they never should have been together in the first place. He started dating her for the wrong reasons. _Dumb brother._

The bad dream set the tone of my morning. I got dressed and ready for the day in a not so great mood. Hopefully, once I got to work it would brighten my day. I loved running my boutique. I loved running _my_ boutique. I had always dabbled in designing lingerie, and when I got the chance to make that a reality I was thrilled. I'd had it for six years and built a large, loyal client base. I was familiar with them all, and we often talked when they came to shop. Many had asked if I designed other clothing, an idea I'd been toying with for about year.

Mary Clint, one of my best, and wealthiest, customers asked me to design an evening dress for a benefit she was to attend. I seized the opportunity and sketched a pleated A-line, floor length deep teal one-shoulder evening dress. She fell in love with the design, wore it to the benefit, and my next two months were booked solid by Dallas' top tenth. I had secretly been looking into expanding the business and adding gowns to my repertoire.

Just the thought of my secret project lifted my spirits. I walked into the shop feeling light and happy. I put up the open sign and checked to make sure everything was placed properly. It wasn't fifteen minutes after opening that my first customer came in. She opened the door roughly. Once she spotted me, she sighed in relief.

"Hello, Mrs. Clint," I greeted her with a smile. "You look to be in a hurry."

"Oh, Alice," she said and placed a hand over her heart. "I was so worried Mindi would be in today." Mindi worked the store twenty hours a week. She was a student at Woodrow Wilson High School and wanted to study fashion in college. Whenever we both worked the store, I would teach her new things during the downtime. I just wanted to help her have an upper hand once she went to school.

"Nope, it's me. What can I do for you?"

"Oh, honey, I need a huge favor. Carl was invited to a benefit for the local shelter. It's in two weeks, and I don't have anything to wear. I was hopin' you could be so kind as to whip somethin' up for me. I'm willin' to pay whatever it takes."

"That's not much time. Do you have fifteen to twenty minutes right now?" She nodded. "Let's have a seat and talk about what you had in mind." I lead her to the counter, and we both took a seat. I pulled a sketchpad from under the counter along with my colored pencils. I rearranged everything and turned to her. "Okay. Tell me what you were thinking for this dress."

"Billowy. If it's windy I want it to flow in the breezy. I loved the one-shoulder look you did for the last one and want to keep that if possible." I wrote down key words and started drawing the silhouette. "I would love to have it multi-colored this time but not a pattern; solid colors that blend well. Maybe gathered at the waist or belted. I want it simple but elegant." She continued to talk while I sketched. Twenty minutes later, I turned the sketch for her to look at.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"Oh, Alice! It looks gorgeous." She ran a finger over the page lightly.

"What about the colors? Do you like those?" She cocked her head to the side.

"I love how bright and vibrant they are, but I don't want to make that much of a statement at this benefit. Can we pick cooler, darker colors?"

"Absolutely. Did you have something in mind?" She looked over my colored pencils for a moment.

"What about blue and green? I think it'd look good with a third color though."

"What about this?" I picked up the blue, green, and purple to shade a piece of the paper so she could see the colors side by side. I looked over to see her smile brightly.

"I think it looks perfect, Alice. Will you be able to do this in two weeks?" I thought about all that I had planned and scheduled for the next few weeks before slowly nodding.

"Yes, I can. I can have it ready for you to try on April 2nd. That way, if there's anything that needs to be altered we can have it done in time for the benefit." She pulled me into a hug, and I hugged her back.

"Thank ya, Alice. I don't know what I'd have done without ya." I giggled as she pulled back.

"You're welcome. I'll call you to set up a time for a fitting."

"Great." She stood up and gathered her things. "I need to get goin'. I'll talk to ya soon."

"Bye." I waved as she left the store. The dress looked like it'd be fun to make. I needed to go to a fabric store and see what would be a good material.

The next few hours were busy. Six of my regular clients came in to shop, and we chatted amiably. About ten new people came in for the first time. One was from Seattle, Washington, visiting family. We talked about her plans while she was here, and I even suggested a few places for her to check out. She looked around and made a purchase. I was telling her goodbye when the phone rang. I was glad to hear from Bella as she had been holed up in her house trying to finish some articles the past few days. We made plans for lunch, and I hung up when the bell above the door rang. I turned to greet the customer, but it wasn't a customer. It was my brother, and he looked upset.

"Hello, bother dear," I said. He walked over and kissed me on the cheek, just like our dad always did.

"Hi, Alice," he said.

"What's got you so down?" I frowned at the sullenness in his voice.

"I just left Tanya's house." I waited for him to elaborate, but it seemed he was going to make me coax it out of him.

"Why would that be a bad thing?" I knew where this was heading; my dream had prepared me for it.

"I broke up with her." I turned around and gathered my sketching supplies trying to hide the smile. I didn't like that he felt bad, but I was glad that relationship ended. It was five months of wasted emotion.

"I'm sorry you feel down." I turned around and pulled him into a hug.

"But you're not sorry to see the relationship end." He pulled back, and I continued to clean the counter.

"You know I have nothing against Tanya. I just never thought you two should be together. She's not the one for you." I watched him walk around the store browsing the selection.

"And you know who is?" he asked skeptically.

"Yes, I do." He rolled his eyes at me. I checked my watch to see that I had just enough time to get to Panera on time if I left immediately. "I need to leave now to get to lunch on time."

"Meeting someone?"

"I'm meeting Bella at Panera. Would you like to join us?" I grabbed my purse from the back room. I looked back to see him perk up at the mention of her name.

"How is Bella?" he asked feigning nonchalance. I could hear the interest in his voice though and worked to hide my smile.

"She sounds good. This is her first venture out in a few days. She just finished her articles. She sounded extremely excited though, so she probably got some good news." I walked to the door, and he followed. "Wanna come?"

"No." He seemed to pout at himself. "I'm gonna head home and work on some shots. I still need to develop the film from my Ft. Worth Stock Show shoot."

"If you're sure." He nodded reluctantly and followed me out of the shop. I hugged him goodbye before hopping in my Ford Escape Hybrid. I pulled into the parking lot at the same time as Bella. I rolled my eyes at her vehicle. The thing was ancient and needed to be replaced. It wasn't like she was hurting for money. I think she didn't want to get another vehicle because it held sentimental value. It was a gift from her father when she moved to live with him.

"Hi Bella," I said as I hugged her. When I pulled back, I saw she was wearing a head-to-toe Michael Kors outfit. "You look very nice. What's the occasion?"

"Oh, Ali," she said as her face lit up. "It's a great day. Ben called and offered me an article of my choosing." I followed her inside. "Everything, Alice, from the ground up."

"That's great!" I knew she was getting tired of writing wedding articles. "No more of those fluff pieces, huh?" A small frown marred her face.

"Well, a girl's gotta make a living." She smiled again. "Once I get this article published though, as long as it's good, I'll be able to choose what I want. How have you been? How's the shop? How's the family?"

"I've been doing well. The shop is great. I've still got the regulars and have met a few new people. Mindi's been great. She will be applying to schools soon so I've got to start looking for another worker. The family is great. Mom and dad were thinking about coming to visit in about a month. They wanna see Edward's new work."

"How's Edward?" Her tone was nervous. She wasn't over him. "I haven't seen him in a long time." We placed our orders and found a booth by the window.

"Edward's…okay. He just stopped by the shop before I left." She frowned a bit.

"You should have invited him to join us."

"I did. He said he had some work to do at home. How is Mike?"

Bella started dating Michael Newton seven months before. I personally didn't like the guy. He seemed to be pushy, possessive, and a prick. She started dating him as a way to get over Edward. She had a crush on him from the day she met him but never did anything about it. She said Edward always seemed wrapped up in his work, and she didn't think she could compete with that. It was a ridiculous notion, but Bella was too stubborn to hear it.

"He's good," she said with a pout. "He's getting ready for the Business Vision 2020 conference that's in three weeks in Bangalore, India. He's presenting his paper on 'Cooperative Strategies in International Business.'"

"India?" I had to admit, I was impressed. I knew from Bella that he was very smart. Not everyone could get an MBA from Harvard.

"I know, right? How the hell does someone decided India's a good place to hold a conference?" I laughed. She always did have a way with words and absolutely no filter.

We talked some more about her article she'd been given at D Magazine. She was so excited. I suggested we go out to celebrate, but as usual, she shot down the idea. She wasn't much for the bar or club scene. I knew she'd love it if she'd just give it a chance; one day. Sooner than we liked, lunch was over.

I said goodbye after we made plans for the following Friday. I would have Mrs. Clint's fitting on Thursday, so we were going to watch a movie at my place while I did any alterations that would be needed. When I arrived back at the shop, I worked on Mrs. Clint's design during my free time between customers. I was excited about her dress. Thanks to her, there were so many more doors opening for me.

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**AN: Wow! I got a huge response to the last chapter. 18 reviews! Y'all make me smile so big. :)**

**So, big fail. This chapter is unbetaed cause I didn't send it to my beta. She probably hates me. Sorry Leslie. **

**I didn't make ya wait forever for Edward this time. You got a bit of a glimpse. Let me know what ya think of our characters so far. I hope ya like 'em. Review and I'll send a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	3. Ch 2

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 2**_

**Edward's POV**

**March 24 (Tuesday)**

I pulled up to the large gates and dialed her room. She buzzed me through, and I parked the Nissan 370Z. I pulled myself from the car, even though I didn't want to be there. I had to do this though. I'd let it go on for far too long. She met me at the door with a wide smile. When she realized I wasn't returning it, hers faded a bit.

"Hi," she said quietly, almost shyly.

"Hello, Tanya," I said. "I know we didn't have any plans for today, but I was hoping you weren't busy."

"Sure. Come on in." She stepped aside so I could walk through the door. Once I was inside, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. I turned to the side, and she caught my cheek. "Edward?"

"We need to talk." She sighed and looked away.

"Those are the four worst words in the English language." She shut the door and walked away to sit on the couch. I followed silently and sat in an armchair.

Her books and notes were scattered on the coffee table. She was preparing for a mock trial the Board of Advocates were hosting. Tanya was a third-year law student at Southern Methodist University. She was part of the planning committee for the next mock trial. I knew she would be stressed and busy, but this really couldn't wait much longer. I was doing us both a disservice by waiting, by pushing off the inevitable.

"I know," she whispered. I looked up at her in confusion. She smiled sadly and looked away. "This has been coming for a while now. I was just hoping it was a phase." I hung my head.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"Are you…" she paused. "Is there anything I can do? We can work through this. I know I've been busy lately. I know I haven't been around as much, but I can fix that. I can back off from some things at school."

"No." She stood up and came to sit on the arm of my chair.

"I can change." She grabbed my hand. "Whatever it is, I can change." I started shaking my head as soon as she started talking. "Please."

"No. Tanya, stop." I looked up at her so she'd know how serious I was. "I don't want you to change. You should never change from someone else. Besides, this isn't even about you. You didn't cause this. It's not your fault."

"Edward." She cleared her throat and looked away. She always hated crying in front of people. When she turned back, the tears were brimming her eyes. "Please, talk to me. Tell me we can work through this." I let out a long breath. "Edward, I love you." My heart squeezed and the guilt was stifling.

"I'm sorry. I can't say the same." A tear slid down her cheek, and I almost reached forward and wiped it away. "It's not you. I promise. This isn't something we're going to work through. I need to figure some things out. I shouldn't be with anyone right now." We were quiet for a few minutes.

"There's someone else, isn't there?" I looked up at her sharply.

"No! Tanya, there was never anyone else. I wouldn't do that to you." She smiled softly.

"I don't think you cheated on me, but there is someone else." I looked at her confused. "You're heart has belonged to her for a long time."

"Wha-what are you talking about?" She just smiled at me.

"I think you should go." She stood up and walked toward the door. I stood and followed her, her words still plaguing my thoughts. I stopped beside her in front of the open door.

"I truly am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." She sniffed and nodded. "You do mean a lot to me. I always enjoyed our time together." She looked like she was barely holding it together.

"Please go. I can't do this right now." I nodded and stepped through the door. Before getting too far, I turned around and kissed her forehead.

"Goodbye."

I left feeling horrible as the sound of her crying floated through the door. _I should have waited. I should have picked a better time. _I shook my head at the thought. Waiting wouldn't have changed the outcome. She still would have been hurt. I still would have been an asshole. I got in the car and closed my eyes. _Such an asshole._ I pulled out of the apartment complex with no real destination in mind. I shouldn't have been surprised when I pulled into my sister's store parking lot.

Alice and I had always been close. I'd moved to Dallas from Paris to be closer to her. France was great for my career, but it wasn't home. I parked and made my way inside. Alice was hanging up the phone as I entered. When she turned around and saw me, a frown marred her face. I tried to think if I'd done anything recently to piss her off, but I was drawing a blank.

"Hello, bother dear," she said. I kissed her on the cheek in greeting.

"Hi, Alice," I said.

"What's got you so down?" I hated that she could read me so well.

"I just left Tanya's house." Honesty was always the best option with Alice. She'd give you hell if she caught you lying.

"Why would that be a bad thing?" She placed her hand on my forearm.

"I broke up with her." She turned from me and began gathering sketching supplies. I knew she was hiding her face from me. Her face always showed her true emotions.

"I'm sorry you feel down." She pulled me into a hug. I let her do it, needing a bit of comfort.

"But you're not sorry to see the relationship end." I pulled back, but she turned her back to me again. I knew she never cared for Tanya. She, I'm sure, was happy with my choice.

"You know I have nothing against Tanya. I just never thought you two should be together. She's not the one for you." I walked around looking at some of her latest stuff. After spending two years in Paris doing fashion editorial photography, I could appreciate my sister's designs.

"And you know who is?" I asked skeptically. She always thought she knew things. She could be weird.

"Yes, I do." I rolled my eyes at her. "I need to leave now to get to lunch on time." I quirked an eyebrow wondering if she had a date. Fucking _Brad_ had really done a number on her. He made her feel unworthy, and almost a year later, she still wasn't dating. I hoped she'd finally gotten back out there.

"Meeting someone?"

"I'm meeting Bella at Panera. Would you like to join us?" Bella. I hadn't seen her in a while. I hadn't really seen her since she started dating that douche bag.

"How is Bella?" A small smirk crossed her lips, and I wondered what it was for.

"She sounds good. This is her first venture out in a few days. She just finished her articles. She sounded extremely excited though, so she probably got some good news." I followed her to the door. "Wanna come?"

"No." Although it would have been fun, Bella always made it interesting, I figured I shouldn't impose. "I'm gonna head home and work on some shots. I still need to develop the film from my Ft. Worth Stock Show shoot."

"If you're sure." I nodded and followed her out of the shop. She hugged me again and made me promise we'd get together for dinner soon. We'd both been working pretty hard lately.

I got in the car and made my home. I had chosen to buy a home in Little Elm, Texas, for a few reasons. One, it was near Lewisville Lake, and I wanted to be near the water. Two, it was close to Alice. Even with traffic, it was less than an hour from her. Third, the house was set up for a family. After Amelie, I'd decided I was done with casual dating. I was ready to move on to the next stage of my life.

I spent most of the afternoon in the dark room working. Well, I spent most of my time in the dark room trying not to feel guilty about ending things with Tanya. She had done nothing wrong. She was fun to be around, supportive in everything I did, and wanted the same things for her future as I did. We never fought, she never questioned me, and she let me have my space when I was working. She was _the_ picture perfect girlfriend, but she wasn't _my_ picture perfect girlfriend.

I cursed when I realized I hadn't been paying attention and used too much of one of the chemicals. That wouldn't come out right. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts, but I knew my head wasn't in the right place. I put everything away and left the darkroom. I checked my watch to see that it was already 6:00. I decided to rummage around for something to eat, text Alice to set up a dinner date, and call my parents. I hadn't spoken to them this week and knew Momma would be upset if I didn't call soon.

"Hello, Son," Dad said as a greeting.

"Hey, Dad," I said after I swallowed the last of my turkey and provolone sandwich. "How are y'all doin?"

"Good. We're doing good. Your mom just got home from her shift. I'm taking her to Wink. They have their Veal Sweetbreads on Lemon Risotto that she likes so much on the menu for today." I rolled my eyes. Mom had such an odd palate.

"And what did y'all have for dinner last night?"

"Mac n' cheese." We both laughed. "You know your mother. She is the oddest eater I know. Well, besides your sister."

"I know. Listen, I don't want to make you late. I just wanted to check in and see how y'all were."

"Oh, no." He rushed to assure me. "You're not making us late. Our reservation isn't for another hour or so. Tell me how you've been, Edward."

"I've been alright. I've been working on developing some photos from the Stock Show. Haven't been doing much other than working. You?"

"Working. We're dealing with a malpractice suit right now. Dr. Lawrence had a patient die on the table."

"I'm so sorry, Dad." I walked to the living room and took a seat.

"It's okay. Her patient had a heart attack. He wouldn't have made it another week. We'll be fine. Have you seen your sister lately?"

"I saw her earlier today actually. I didn't get to talk to her that long. She was on her way to have lunch with Bella, but I'm going to her place for dinner in a few days."

"You're mother loved Bella's last article, the Daniels/McKenzie wedding bio. She added it to the scrapbook." I smiled at that. As soon as Alice called home about her new journalist friend, Mom began gathering all her articles and creating a scrapbook. It was one of her hobbies, so she was enjoying making it for Bella. She had said she expected the first one to be full by Christmas; she would give it to Bella as a gift. "How is Tanya, Edward? You haven't spoken of her recently." I sighed.

"We broke up, Dad."

"I'm sorry, Son. Are you alright?" I wanted to assure him I was, but I didn't want to lie.

"I broke up with her. My heart wasn't in it. I didn't want to string her along. She deserves better than that. I feel awful though."

"I'm not going to diminish your feelings, but I'm proud of you. You did the right thing. If you're not what she needs and vice versa, you did both of y'all a service. Of course, it'll be hard and it hurts, but it will be better in the long run." I smiled. Dad always knew what to say.

"Thanks, Dad." I heard him cover the receiver and speak with Mom.

"Hello, Edward," Mom's voice floated through the phone.

"Hi, Momma. How are ya today?"

"I'm wonderful. It's so good to hear from you. How's my baby boy?" I rolled me eyes. I'd never outgrow that nickname.

"I'm okay. It's been a long day. How was your shift? Is everything okay?"

"Of course, but let's not worry about me. What's wrong, sweetheart? Why are you only okay?"

I told her about Tanya. I went into detail with her. Dad cared, don't get me wrong, but Mom could always offer more when it came to these discussions. She was a woman after all. I stayed on the phone with her for twenty minutes before they needed to leave for the restaurant.

"I love you, sweetheart," Mom said. "By the way, your father and I are planning on coming for a visit in about a month. Talk to your sister, and let us know when would be a good time."

"Okay, Momma. I love you. Tell Dad I love him. Have fun."

"We love you too. Bye." I hung up and went back to the kitchen. I needed to do the dishes before anything else.

* * *

**AN: Wow! Y'alls response to this story is astounding. There's already been just under 50 reviews. I'm very, very appreciative. I hope y'all know that.**

**Again, this chapter is unbetaed. She just took a bunch of 12/14 year-olds to New York and needs to recover. hehe**

**So, there's Tanya. So many of y'all wanted to hate her, but there's not really a reason to. She did nothin wrong. It just wasn't right. ****Are you disappointed, surprised, happy?**

**I know this was short. The chapters will get longer; it's just the beginning. Let me know what ya think, and I'll send you a sneak peek at the next chapter. **


	4. Ch 3

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 3**_

**Alice's POV**

**April 3 (Friday)**

I pulled into the parkin' lot of Joe's Crab Shack and parked near Bella's truck. She'd mentioned in a phone conversation a few days before that she was going to start lookin' into buyin' a new vehicle soon. I think I squealed into the phone. That truck really needed to be retired.

"Ali!" I heard my brother yell. I turned around to see him walkin' towards me from his Jeep Wrangler. I always loved the deep water blue pearl color. It suited him so well. He pulled me into a hug when he reached me. I always felt small when he did that. His arms absolutely engulfed me. "Hi, little sis. How ya doin?"

"I'm wonderful," I told him truthfully. "I'm about to have dinner with my best friend and brother. It's a great day." We'd made plans the week before to meet today. I'd invited Bella a few days after that. I hadn't missed Edward's interest in her. This was my chance to lay some groundwork.

"Bella's here?" he asked and couldn't hide the interest in his voice. I nodded. "How is she? What's she been up to?"

"Wait just a few minutes, and you can ask her yourself." He smiled and pulled me towards the doors, his demeanor showing his eagerness. When we walked inside, he looked around for Bella. It was crowded so I was glad to have him with me. I couldn't see over everyone in the place. I noticed immediately when he spotted her. His face lit up, a big smile gracin' his lips. "Do ya see her?" He nodded never takin' his eyes off her.

"Bella!" He yelled above the noise and waved her over. I finally spotted her, seein' her push through the crowd. She was also wearing a big smile on her face. "Hey, stranger. Long time no see." He dropped his arm from my shoulders and pulled her into an embrace.

"Right back at cha," she said huggin' him back, her voice more confident than her demeanor. When they broke from the longer than necessary hug, she turned to me. "Hey, Ali Cat." I hugged her as well. It'd been over a week since I'd seen her.

"Hey, BB," I said. "Have you put our name on the list?"

"Yeah. I got here a while ago. We should be seated in the next few minutes." She glanced at Edward then back to me. "How was Mrs. Clint's fitting? That was yesterday, right?" I smiled at the thought. I'd finally told her about my side project. She'd been thoroughly excited for me.

"It was. It went great. She loved the colors and the material. I don't have to make any alterations. I knew what to expect from the first dress."

"Wait. What are you talkin' bout?" Edward asked confused.

"Bella, party of three," a woman's voice said over the intercom.

"Let's get seated. I'll tell ya bout it then," I said as I pushed them towards the podium.

We followed the hostess to a booth at the bar. I slid in after Bella, and Edward scooted in on the other side of the table. Bella immediately ordered me a Category 5 Hurricane, Edward a Jack and coke, herself a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri, and the Great Balls of Fire. I told Edward about my formal designing and Mrs. Clint. He was happy for me but admonished me for not telling our parents yet. I pouted but promised to call 'em soon.

"Are y'all ready to order?" Jessie, our waitress, asked, her eyes never leaving Edward. Edward looked to Bella and me expectantly.

"I'd like the Grilled Sunset Salmon," I told her. She looked over reluctantly.

"And you?" she asked Bella.

"I'd like the Coconut Shrimp, but instead of the fries, I want veggies. Could I also have Joe's rice instead of the coleslaw?" Jamie nodded then turned back to Edward.

"What can I do for you?" I rolled my eyes at her pathetic pick up line.

"I'd like the Bayou's Best Platter. Could I also get a glass of water?" he asked not really looking up from the menu.

"I'll get ya whatever ya want." Bella outright laughed at the waitress.

"Girl, you really need to work on your pick up lines. That was absolutely pathetic." I covered my mouth to hide the giggles. Jessie flushed deeply before scurryin' away. "What the hell is up with people these days? Edward, I love you, but I sure hope you have higher standards than that. Oooh! I wonder what Tanya would have done if she'd been here?" My giggles died down as I looked at Edward a bit warily. "What?" Bella looked between us cautiously. "What did I say?"

"Tanya and I aren't together anymore," Edward told her with a sad smile.

"Edward, I'm so sorry." She rushed to apologize. She never could stand making someone feel bad. "I didn't know. God! I'm so insensitive."

"Hey, hey." He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. "Like you said, you didn't know. It's okay. Really. It's a good thing. It was long overdue." I smiled when she squeezed his hand. He didn't immediately pull away. We sat in silence for a moment.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" I asked to remind them they weren't alone. They both startled at my voice and pulled away from each other hastily.

"Umm…"

"Uhh…" They both spoke at the same time. I smiled at their actions.

"I was thinkin' we could go to the Candle Room for a few drinks then back to my place for a movie. I'd like a low-key night."

"That sounds great, Ali. It's been a bit of a tense week," Edward said.

"A movie sounds great. I think y'all should go to The Candle Room while I go see Mike. He's been workin' late every day this week. He's got a few hours off tonight and asked if I'd meet up with him." The dickhead was cheatin' on her, had been for while. You could tell in the way he was when he was around her. He wasn't very subtle. She squirmed in her seat a bit.

"What? He scheduled you for a booty call?" I asked. She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Fuck you, Ali. He's just busy. He's got the conference comin' up." I'd learned over the years that Bella didn't mean much of anything as an insult. She was just a different type of person from what I'd been around, and I loved her for it. Edward stood up lookin' awkward. He pointed towards the bathroom before makin' his escape.

"I know he has the conference, but that's still over two weeks away."

"I don't want to talk about this. Let's just enjoy dinner." Jessie came to the table with our food after Edward returned to the table. The tension cleared and the subject was forgotten. We never held grudges or dwelled on things. It was one of my favorite things about our friendship. There was rarely any drama.

We idly chatted through dinner. Tanya and Mike were left undiscussed, but that didn't stop 'em from examinin' my love life. I tried to shut them up, but it didn't work. It'd been six months since Bradley…I shook my head to clear the thought. I didn't want to think about him. Edward and Bella continued to talk about it though. They didn't know the full story.

"Six months is a long time for you," Edward said. "The longest you've gone without a boyfriend was three months. What's the hold up?"

"I've gotta find someone worthy," I said as if it were obvious.

"I've got this writer friend," Bella began, but I had to cut her off there.

"No offense, best friend, but your male writer friends aren't what I'm looking for."

"Hey! I know that we have some weird ducks, but they're not all like that. This guy has his shit together. Alvin just-" I couldn't contain my laughter.

"Alvin? Really? His name is Alvin? No. Just…no. We're not even going there." She pouted but didn't say anything. We were just finishing dinner when Bella's phone rang.

"Hey, you," she answered with an awkward smile to us. "Yes…I'm at dinner right now…No! No, I understand…Yeah." She turned her wrist to look at the time. "I can be there in twenty minutes." She signaled Jessie and handed over her check card. "I will. I promise…Bye."

"Leavin'?" Edward asked.

"I'm sorry, y'all. That was Mike. A problem came up so he's only got an hour and a half. If I leave now, I'll be able to see him. Can I meet y'all at your house?" I nodded. Jessie returned, and Bella signed the slip. She grabbed Jessie's hand gently when Jessie took the signed receipt. "You're a beautiful girl." I tried not to snicker out loud when she rubbed Jessie's inner wrist and smiled. "Just don't be so obvious, and you'll have every man eating out of your hand." I knew how this would end. I realized the minute she winked at the waitress. Jessie's eyes grew wide, and she looked at Edward surreptitiously before pulling her hand from Bella's and scamperin' away.

"Bella, why do you have to do that?" I asked as Edward looked at Bella confusedly.

"I laughed in her face and insulted her. She needed a confidence boost. Who doesn't want to be told they're beautiful?"

"BB, how many eighteen-year-old Texas girls want to be told that by another woman?" Edward started to laugh.

"That was priceless," he said. "What made you think of that?" Bella shrugged.

"She's done it ever since I've known her. It's always funny, even when they seem…interested." Bella stood up and kissed our cheeks. Edward smiled happily when Bella lingered longer than necessary. "Call when you leave him." She narrowed her eyes at me so I just quirked an eyebrow. "That way I know when to expect you."

"Have a movie ready." She began to walk off. "No scary movies," I heard her yell when she was almost to the door.

Jessie came back to ask us if we wanted anything for dessert. She was looking around nervously, probably scoping the place for Bella. She left Edward alone though, so Bella had accomplished that much. The girl looked so nervous, so flustered as she slid our ticket onto the table. Edward handed his credit card to her as I tried to protest. I was a successful woman. I didn't need to be taken care of. I could afford it. He just patted my hand after I voiced this.

"I'm your brother," he said. "It's my job. I want to take care of you." I could only smile. He was so much like daddy. He signed the slip then stood and helped me from the booth. He motioned for me to walk ahead and grabbed the door for me.

"Candle Room?" I asked as we walked toward our vehicles.

"Yes."

"I'll meet ya there." He nodded and kissed my cheek before headin' to his own vehicle.

On the way to The Candle Room, I thought about Bella and Edward. She really did deserve better. She was settling. I wanted to strangle 'em both really. They could have been together and missed all this drama. Edward had cleared the path on his end. Now, I just had to get Bella to see how vile Mike Newton really was.

* * *

**AN: First, this is unbetaed again. We'll get there eventually. If you didn't already pick up on it, Edward has two cars. :)**

**I hope you liked the bit about Jessie. :) I thought it was funny. I have a friend that does this, so it's actually really funny to watch. **

**So, Bella's off to see Mike. I know 'all hate me, but he'll be gone eventually. It's just not gonna happen next chapter. Be prepared. It seems though they both might kinda, sorta have a bit of an inklin' that somethin's there. I dunno. Just a thought.**

**Let me knw what you think, and I'll send you sneak peek of the next chapter. **


	5. Ch 4

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 4**_

**Edward's POV**

**April 11 (Saturday)**

"Of course, we understand," I said to the computer. Mom had recently discovered Skype. She wanted to see Ali and I, so I was over at her house. We'd been talking with Momma and Dad for the last twenty minutes. "You both have very demanding jobs. It's okay that you can't make it that weekend. You can come the next." They'd planned a visit starting on April 25th, but one of the doctors' spouse had just been scheduled for major surgery. She wanted the weekend off to care for her husband. Dad said he'd cover for her, and Momma was worried we'd be upset.

"Are you sure, honey?" Momma asked again.

"Momma, it'll be fine," Ali said. "We'll still be here the next weekend. Enough worryin'."

"Edward, are you sure you don't mind us staying with you? We won't be interrupting any plans will we?"

"Momma, it's okay. Really. There's no need for y'all to spend money on a hotel room when I've got plenty of room at my house. Plus, I'm planning on redecorating one of the guest rooms now that I've got some time. I'd love for you to give me a hand." She was great at interior design. I often wondered why she never went into it but never asked. I was hoping she'd be able to help me come up with some design ideas.

"Oh, I'd love to help! Which room? What colors were you considering? Are you wanting to do a theme?" I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"I haven't thought of anything. I wanted to get your opinion first." She smiled widely, her excitement palpable.

"What's new for you, baby girl?" Dad asked.

"I've been doin' a lot more designin'. I've gotten three requests."

"What kind of events are they for?"

"One's for a charity function, one's for the Governor's Ball, and the third is for a wedding. Can you believe people get gowns designed for weddings? Wanna see my newest gown?" That was mine and Dad's cue to get lost.

I turned the television on and flipped channels until I landed on Discovery Animal. _Meerkat Manor_ was on. Ali snorted so I looked over. She was smirking at the screen then rolled her eyes before turning back to the computer. They talked for another ten minutes about material and colors. Of course, the conversation wasn't stimulating for me, but I did understand everything. I had been a fashion photographer, so I understood what they were saying. Hazard of the job.

***Bang! Bang! Bang!* **I jumped and heard Alice squeak at the sudden noise. She looked at me, and I could see she looked a bit scared. The loud knock on the door sounded again. I asked if she was expecting someone. She shook her head no. I could hear Momma's worried voice and knew Dad would be on the screen soon. I was a few steps from the door when the person on the other side spoke up.

"Open the damn door, Alice," Bella's angry voice floated through. I opened the door with a furrowed brow. "What are you doing here?" I almost laughed at her question. "Never mind. Where's Alice?"

"Bella?" I heard Alice question. Bella walked past me, and I noticed her clothes for the first time. She was wearing a royal blue dress that fell just below the knee. It had ¾ sleeves, a wide black belt, and modest neckline. She paired it with black four maybe five-inch stiletto boots. I could tell she'd applied a small amount of makeup, and her hair was done in loose curls. She looked breathtaking, inspite of her obvious anger or perhaps because of. Her cheeks were flushed a light pink and her breathing rapid. I closed the door and followed her to the living room. "What-"

"He's a fucking prick," Bella interrupted her as she threw her purse on the couch. "The son of a bitch calls me and fucking _demands_ to see me. He says he _needs_ me. He says he _misses_ me. Then what does he do? He fucking stands me up." I wanted to stop her. I didn't mind her ranting, she obviously needed to, but I knew she'd be embarrassed when she realized my parents could hear. She started pacing behind the couch. "What the hell was I even thinking? It's been five months-"

"Seven." Bella turned and glared at Alice.

"It's been _seven_ fucking months. What am I even still doing with him? I'm only with him-" She cut her eyes to me as she drew up short. I guess she didn't want me to know. "He's a bastard. Why would he stand me up when he was so adamant about seeing me? This was his idea. Why would he stand me up?"

"I'm so sorry, Bella. He never should have done that," my mom's voice floated through the room. Bella froze mid-pace. She turned slowly to face the computer. "Hello, dear." I could hear the humor in her voice. Bella's cheeks flamed red, and I smiled at the reaction. The woman could hold court with a sailor, but put her in front of a parental figure, and she'd be completely shy and on her best behavior.

"Oh, dear God," Bella murmured as she clamped a hand over her face. "Hi, Dr. Cullen." Mom giggled.

"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Esme?" Bella let out a long breath before looking at the screen.

"Sorry…Esme. How are you?"

"I think I may be in better shape than you." Bella groaned and plopped into the chair next to Alice I'd sat in and propped her head on her hand. "He stood you up?" Bella nodded. "It sounds to me like you need to forget about this prick." I gaped at the screen. I'd never heard my mom talk like that. Apparently, I wasn't the only one astonished. "Oh, don't look at me like that you three. Bella, you're a sweet, intelligent, wonderful woman. You deserve better than that. If he can't appreciate you, he doesn't deserve you." Bella let out a long breath.

"He's been really busy. He's got this big conference comin' up. I'm sure he has a perfectly logical explanation." I was shocked she was defending him, after being so livid with him moments before.

"I understand being busy, believe me, but if he made plans with you, very adamantly it sounds, he should not have broken them. You deserve better, dear."

"Maybe." Bella looked away, embarrassed. She finally looked back at the screen. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I know you don't get to speak with Alice and Edward often." She looked between Ali and me. "I don't want to get in the middle of family time." She looked a bit forlorn when she apologized. Something was off, but I couldn't tell what. "I'm gonna head home. Enjoy your visit. It was nice to talk to you Esme. I heard you're going to visit soon. Hopefully I'll see y'all."

"We'll see ya, I'm sure. You don't have to go though. I was just saying goodbye. I'll call y'all some time next week to finalize plans. Daddy says he loves you. He's got his head buried in a book."

"Love you too, Daddy," Alice said. I echoed her salutation. "Bye." She logged off Skype and closed the computer. "Are you really gonna defend him?"

"No, but I didn't want to rant in front of your mom." She stood up and leaned down to unzip her boots. When she leaned forward, I could just see the swell of her breast as the fabric gaped. She yanked them off then stood. I averted my eyes so she wouldn't know I was looking. "What did I do? Why would he stand me up? He called all '_I need you. I miss you. I haven't seen you in forever. Please, Isabella. Come on, babes._'" She huffed and pulled at her hair as she fell back onto the couch. "I hate when he calls me that. _Babes._ Who says that shit?"

"Dump him." Bella looked at Alice and rolled her eyes.

"You don't dump someone because they make you mad."

"Let's ask Edward, get a guys opinion." My eyebrows shot up, and I sat on the couch beside Bella.

"I'm not getting in the middle of this," I said with hands raised. I turned the volume up on the television. "I'm not picking sides."

"We're not asking you to pick sides." Ali sat on the coffee table in front of me. "Tell Bella she should dump him."

"Tell Ali she's crazy," Bella said.

"Tell Bella she deserves better." Sometimes, they reminded me of six-year-olds, but in a fund, good way.

"Tell Ali she's delusional." That comment got to me.

"She's not delusional," I said firmly. "You don't see yourself clearly, Bell. You deserve the best." She looked at me what I thought was hopefully before shaking her head. I could see her dismissing my words. I looked back at Ali to see she had a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Tell her she's beautiful," Alice said with a smile.

"What?" Bella and I asked at the same time. Of course she was beautiful. Why would I need to tell her that?

"She never believes me. She thinks she's plain." Bella was far from plain. She had to know that.

"Ali, stop being stupid," Bella said. "I know I'm not beautiful. I'm okay with that." Again, she said just what would get me to respond. Hearing she thought that about herself bothered me beyond belief. Had Newton never told her she was beautiful?

"Bell, you're so far from plain. Momma was right. You're everything she described and more. You're beyond beautiful. Any man _should _be proud to be with you." She blushed and looked away. I gripped her chin lightly and pulled so she'd look at me. "Please, don't sell yourself short. He should cherish you. He's _lucky_ to have you." She drew her bottom lip between her teeth lookin' oh so delectable in that moment. I kept my eyes locked with hers hopin' she'd see the truth...and to keep my eyes from wandrin'. She was beautiful after all.

"Would you be lucky to have her?" Alice asked so quietly it didn't even sound like an intrusion.

"Yes." Honestly. "Damn lucky."

"Would you cherish her?"

"Every day," I breathed, my voice soft. She had to know.

"How?"

"I'd treat her with the utmost care and respect. I'd hold her, kiss her, love her. I'd be proud she chose me and _show_ everyone she'dchosen me." I watched as her breathing sped up and eyes grew misty. "I'd not stand you up. I'd call you just to say hello, and I would never demand anything from you, because anything you gave me would be a gift." She licked her small, perfect lips and left them slightly parted.

I was almost shocked when I realized I wanted to kiss her, _badly_. I wanted to lean forward and press my lips to hers softly and feel her, taste her. If I were honest with myself, I'd wanted to for years but never had the courage to. I'd started realizing recently that I craved her, but I couldn't. She wasn't single. I was not going to cause her to cheat. Luckily, Alice cleared her throat bringing us both out of our gaze. I let my hand slip from her face missing the feel of her skin instantly. She looked dazed for a moment before turnin' away.

"I have to go," Bella said urgently. She stood up, grabbed her boots, and yanked them on. Ali stood up lookin' confused.

"Stay, Bella," she said.

"I have to go. I can't-I have to-There's this…" she looked at me then Alice, but before her gaze left mine, I saw a flash of hope then doubt and confusion. "I can't be here. I can't do this." Her voice fell to a whisper. "I can't do this."

"No. Bella don't go." Ali stood to try to stop her, but she was already out the door. I looked at Alice curiously.

"What just happened?" I asked her. She walked to the door and opened it to look outside. "Ali, what's going on?"

"I don't know."

"That's bullshit. What the hell just happened?" She shut the door and turned to me with a sad smile.

"I just want her to stop being so negative about herself. She's so hard on herself. I think Mike's partially to blame. I've seen 'em together. He doesn't do anything to show her how great she is." Hearing that about Newton only fueled my anger, but I pushed it aside. That wasn't what I was talkin' about.

"We'll come back to that. What I want to know is what the freak out was about?" She looked away from me quickly. "Ali. What?"

"It's not happenin', brother. You can drop the subject now." She was dead serious, and for that fact only, I didn't ask again.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed again. My bad. There's a bit more about Mike. I know, y'all hate him. That's okay. I'm not mad at you for it.**

**There's a bita glimpse of Edward and his feelins. I wonder why Bella freaked out? Review, and let me know what ya think. I'll send you a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	6. Ch 5

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 5**_

**Bella's POV**

**April 17 (Friday)**

I finished off the water bottle and wiped the drop I could feel sliding down my throat. The sun felt great on my skin. I looked over at Edward. He was watching me out of the corner of his eye. His water bottle was paused at his lips, and I could tell he wasn't breathing. I feel my cheeks heat and turned away from his gaze. I heard him clear his throat as I lied back on the towel. The breeze off the water cooled my overheated skin.

"Thank you for coming with me today," I hear Edward say. I turned to him and shielded the sun from my eyes.

"Thank you for inviting me. I've had a blast so far," I answered honestly.

Two days ago, we had flown to Los Angeles with Alice. She had been asked to present a line in a fashion show tomorrow. Mrs. Clint had some connections that even Ali didn't know about. I knew she was a rich bitch. I just didn't know she knew people too. We were here as support; not to mention the vacation. Since she was busy all day today, Edward had invited me to accompany him to Catalina Island. We'd arrived this morning and set out for a three-hour hike. The views were breathtaking and the whole day was rejuvenating.

"How's the shoulder?" he asked after a few moments.

"Good," I answered. "Sore, but that's to be expected."

We'd done the tourist thing the day before and stopped by High Voltage, the tattoo parlor run by Kat Von D. While there, Ali had joked that we should get a tattoo. I jumped in. I'd wanted to get one for a long time, and this had provided the perfect excuse. I'd wanted this for a few years. This past few weeks, Mike had been acting strange. He'd also been drinking more heavily and unknowingly causing me anxiety. This had helped in a way Edward and Alice couldn't understand.

"What does it mean?" Edward asked quietly. I hadn't told them yesterday. I think they could tell that it had affected me, getting it. They hadn't pushed me for specifics.

"'serenitas, virtus, sapientia' means 'serenity, courage, wisdom.' It's the motto I try to live by. It keeps me going." He looked at me curiously. I smiled. "Don't try to read too much into it." I hoped that would steer him away from being inquisitive. "Sno Cones." His brows furrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sno cones. We need sno cones. Let's go." I hopped up and started gathering my stuff. He shook his head but was smiling as he did it. "Come on," I whined. "Don't keep me waiting." I grabbed his hand and hauled him to his feet. Having my hand in his felt so…right. I let my hand slide from his so he could gather his things.

"We have to be quick. We depart at 6:45, and it's already 6:15." I groaned.

"I don't want to leave. It's beautiful here." He threw an arm around my shoulder and tugged me toward the sno cone stand.

"This doesn't have to be the only visit. We can come back." I felt my stomach flutter. "I'm sure Ali will be back here. We can come with her." His voice turned just a tab cold. "Maybe Mike could join ya." That made my stomach drop. I was so angry with him after what he'd said when I mentioned this trip, that I didn't even want to acknowledge his existence at that moment. I made a noncommittal noise as we approached the window. He dropped his hold on me and took a step away.

"What can I get for you?" the little girl at the window asked. Edward and I looked over the menu.

"I'd like a small Strawberry Kiwi," I told her.

"I'd like a medium Coconut," Edward said as he reached for his wallet.

"I just love the accents," the girl said with a smile. "Where are you from?"

"Texas." She handed over our orders.

"Are you enjoying your visit?" She was talking only to Edward at this point. He nodded. "Are you here for a few days?" She leaned her elbows on the ledge essentially squeezing her boobs together. I just rolled my eyes.

"We're leaving today actually." She pouted.

"That's too bad. I could have shown you around."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not really available." She finally looked over at me appraisingly. I didn't like how she was looking at me so I slid my arm around his waist and kissed his neck.

"Sorry, baby girl," I said sweetly. "Maybe you can nab the next one." She narrowed her eyes at me. "Don't get that angry look. It does nothin' for ya." I leaned forward until my elbows rested on the counter. "You're a very beautiful woman." I ran the fingers of my right hand over her wrist and those of my left down her neck. "You could have any available man you wanted. Don't forget that." I shrugged and smiled before turning away from her stunned look. Once we were far enough away, I dropped my arm. "Sorry. I didn't like how she was looking at me." He just laughed.

"Don't apologize. You can use me anytime." I flushed lightly.

We made it to the boat just in time. The ride back was leisurely. I felt so tired, the sun having taken a lot out of me. I tried to cover a yawn, but Edward noticed. He pulled me into his side and pulled my head to rest on his chest. I closed my eyes, and before I knew it, we were pulling into the harbor. Edward shook me gently, apologized for waking me, and then helped me gather my things. We ordered room service for dinner not having the energy to go out. Just as we were finishing, Ali came back.

We decided to call it a night early since the next night, the night of Ali's show, would be a late one. If she was well received, which I knew she would be or I'd be kicking some ass, we'd be invited to some parties. I wouldn't let her turn those down. They would be great networking opportunities for her.

**Edward's POV**

I woke up the next mornin feelin' exhausted. I hadn't slept much; I couldn't get Bella off my mind. When she wrapped her arm around my waist and kissed my neck…a shiver ran through me just thinking about it; it felt good. It felt more than good. One small touch of her lips on my skin, and I wanted to have her then and there. It'd taken so much restraint and the reminder of _Newton_ to keep me from it.

I heard a knock at the door and reluctantly pulled myself from the bed. I padded to the door and pulled it open while yawnin' and scratchin' my head. Bella stood on the other side lookin' just as tired. I froze when I noticed her attire. She was, I assumed, still in her pajamas. She wore a tight, hot pink shirt with spaghetti straps and a low cut v-neck. It was trimmed in forest green that matched her tiny little boy shorts. Ya know, the ones that showed half her ass cheeks. At least I assumed they were. If she'd turn just a little I could tell. When she cleared her throat, I realized I was starin'…a little too far south. My eyes snapped up to meet hers.

"I locked myself out of my room," she said in greeting. I just stared at her lips. She licked them before she started talkin'. "What the hell? Are you gonna let me in the fucking room or what? Look at me." _I am._ "What if someone sees me?"

"Sorry," I said as I shook my head and stepped aside. She hurried in. I bit my knuckle when she walked passed. They _were_ the ones that showed half her ass.

"I need to use your room phone." She walked over to the bed and sat while she called the front desk. I grabbed a pair of jeans and pulled them on the hide my obvious arousal. "Hi, my name is Bella Swan, and I'm staying in room 302. I accidentally locked myself out of my room. I was wondering if someone could let me in." I flipped the switch on the coffee maker and moved to my suitcase to pick out clothes for the day. "I'm not exactly dressed to come down to the front desk." I smirked to myself. "That would be great. Sure. Ten minutes is fine. Thank you."

"How did you lock yourself out?" I asked after she hung up the phone.

"I had trouble sleeping so I finally decided to just get up at 6:00. I started the coffee and poured a drink, but it was too hot. I needed to get some ice. It was so early; I didn't figure many people would be up. I ran to the ice maker, but when I got back, I realized I'd forgotten my fucking key."

"Where's the ice bucket?" She'd been standing at my door empty handed.

"I didn't take it. I only needed one piece." She pulled the covers back and crawled underneath before snuggling them up to her chin. She smiled and pulled the sheet to her nose, taking a deep breath. "These sheets smell like you." I smiled at her comment. She knew what I smelt like. "I'm so tired. I want to be wide awake for Ali's show and anything else she's got planned, but I can't sleep a damn wink."

"I had trouble sleepin' too. Maybe it was all the sun we got yesterday." She hummed a noncommittal sound.

"Come lay down." She patted the bed next to her. I walked over and sat next to her. "Lay down," she said adamantly as she threw the covers back. "I sleep better when I have something to hug. Let me use you." I smiled to myself and slid into the covers.

She threw them back over me and scooted closer until she was flush against my body. She hiked her leg over my thigh and snaked her arm around my waist. I wriggled my arm under her neck and laid my head down facing her. Her body had already relaxed and breathing evened. She must have been very tired.

I whispered her name. She didn't stir. I leaned forward and kissed her forehead feather-light. It was the closest I'd get to havin' her. _Fucking Newton._ I felt my eyes slide closed. I wasn't out long before I heard Bella talk. I started to ask what she said, but her eyes were still closed.

"Snuggle bunny." I stifled my chuckle. "Edward," she said on a sigh. I looked over thinking she was awake but she wasn't. She was beautiful. Even in her sleep, she looked so angelic. Her face was smooth, lips so kissably full, and adorable little button nose. I could stare at her all day.

I was startled from my thought when I heard a knock at the door. I slowly extricated myself from her hold and padded to the door. One of the hotel staff members had brought her a replacement key. I slid it into my pocket with a 'thanks' and made my way back to the bed. Just as I was crawlin' in, the phone rang. I hurried to answer it so it wouldn't wake Bella, but she was already stirrin'.

"'lo?" I answered.

"Hello, brother dear," Alice sang into the phone.

"Who the hell is callin' this damn early?" Bella groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

"Edward. Why is Bella in your room at 7:00 in the morning?"

"Bella got locked out of her room, Alice. She was in here waitin' for the hotel staff to bring up a key. She fell asleep waitin'." Bella peeked out from under the pillow and smiled sheepishly. God, she had no idea how sexy she was.

"What's she wearin'?" I felt my eyebrows scrunch and my cheeks heat a little.

"Um…What kind of question is that?"

"What are _you_ wearin'?" I crossed my arms over my chest when I realized I was only in jeans.

"Ali, that's a stupid question. We ain't doin' anything." Bella smiled wickedly before kneelin' up and crawlin' across the bed toward me. I was mesmerized by her swayin' hips and long, sex-tussled-I mean sleep-tussled hair. She leaned up to whisper in my ear near the phone receiver.

"Come back to bed, Edward," her voice was low and enticing. "It's cold without you."

"Are you fucking my best friend?" Alice yelled in my ear, snappin' me out of my trance. Bella was laughing.

"Ali, language," I scolded. I may think it's sexy comin' from Bella's mouth, but Alice was my little sister. "And we're not…she was sleepin'. That's all. Bella, tell her we weren't-Tell her the truth." Bella laughed and patted my cheek. She took the phone from my hand.

"Mornin', best friend," she said in a chipper voice. "Nope. There's no sexin' goin' on here. I locked myself out of my room and barged in on Edward to use his phone." She swiped the card from my back pocket makin' me jump. "Sure. I need 45 minutes." She accidentally dropped the card and bent over to pick it up. I bit my knuckle again to contain the groan. The things she did to me. I sat on the bed, grabbed a pillow, and put it in my lap. I didn't need her to see me like this. "We'll be there. Yep. Gotcha. Sure. Okay. Bye."

"We have plans I assume," I said as she hung up. She nodded.

"We're meetin' for breakfast in the lobby in an hour. She wants to eat then show us the last minute details. She has to be at the convention center by noon." She walked to the door. "Thanks for lettin' me use your phone and crash for a few minutes."

"Anytime, Bunny." She looked at me curiously. I just smiled.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. So, fake out for those who got the sneak peek of this chapter. I couldn't resist. **

**I hope y'all've been payin attention to the dates. Things are gonna move pretty quick in the beginning here, but we'll slow down soon. I've never been to any of these places, so I didn't wanna go into detail and be lyin outta my ass.**

**Review, and let me know what ya think. I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter. :)**


	7. Ch 6

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 6**_

**Bella's POV**

**April 21 (Tuesday)**

As great as the week_end_ had been, the week was turning to shit. Alice's show had been fantastic and well received. We partied until the early morning hours. Well, Alice had to schmooze and rub elbows, but Edward kept me company. He had been so much fun to hang out with all weekend. Our day at Catalina Island was amazing. Then, we'd spent the day of the show while Ali was on location just playing tourist. We ate at The Ivy; how he got reservations was beyond me. All he'd said was that he had connections. We went to Chinatown, Griffiths Observatory, and West Hollywood.

It was so nice to just enjoy the sights without having to worry about deadlines. Mike always had something he had to do, somewhere he had to be. It was like our time was always cut short. Thinking about Mike made me even angrier. He'd taken me to dinner last night to say goodbye. I checked my watch. He'd been on the plane to India for about two hours. He'd wanted to be sent off _properly._ My blood boiled remembering our date.

He'd taken me to McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant. Don't get me wrong, the place is a damn fine restaurant. I'd told him, though, that I wanted to cook dinner for him. I wanted to spend time with him, not him and 100 other people. He wanted to take me out though, so I conceded. I didn't realize he was trying to wine, dine, and 69 me. We'd gone back to his house where he'd decided to get drunk. He poured me a glass of wine, which I'd refused, for the third time that night. He knew I didn't drink.

Then he'd gotten rough. I wasn't opposed to sleeping with him even though he'd not been familiar with my O in months, but he'd been so…abrupt and insistent. It didn't feel loving. Well, I didn't love him, but it didn't feel like there were any emotions involved expect a need for release. I'd pushed him off then he'd tried to pin me down. He may have succeeded had he not been drunk off his ass. He accused me of 'fucking that Edward guy' over the weekend. I slapped him then left. He hadn't called since, hadn't apologized. He'd just gotten on the plane and left.

I hadn't _fucked_ Edward. I would never cheat on someone. I wouldn't be like my mother. I _was_ nothing like my mother. Edward was too good to do something like that also. He was respectful, kind, caring, gorgeous, ki- I shook my head to clear it. I couldn't be thinking that. I'd realized long ago that Edward was out of my league. I had to stop hoping for something to happen between us. Sometimes though, I wish I had the balls to just tell him how I felt. Maybe getting it off my chest would relieve some of the burden.

I was with Mike though. He was whom I wanted. Well, he was whom I wanted to want. Until yesterday that is. I was done with him, and as soon as he was back in the States, I'd tell him so.

"Hello," I answered my phone when it startled me from the thoughts.

"Hey BB," Alice said. I could tell she was in a car. "We're gonna be on the way soon."

"Great. Stay safe. The rain's gettin' heavier by the second."

"Why do you call her that?" I heard Edward ask in the background.

"She's my best friend."

"That don't make sense." I heard Ali sigh and smiled. I could just picture her frustration.

"She's my bestie. Bestie Bella. BB. _Duh._"

"Don't say 'duh' like I should know what you're talkin' 'bout."

"We will be." I could tell she was talkin' to me again. "I'll see ya in about an hour." I hung up the phone and tried to focus. My mind was all over the place.

I sat on the couch, my laptop resting on my lap. My eyes were bleary as I stared at the screen. The scrawling lightening was making it hard for my eyes to stay adjusted to the glow of the screen. It clawed at the sky creating a hauntingly beautiful scene. The D Magazine article I had to submit the following day was being elusive. I needed to finish it before my tornado of a friend arrived. Once she tore through that door, all hell would break loose and there would be no concentrating on the piece. I checked the blue digital clock above my new 52' LCD flat-screen television. It was 6:47pm. Alice would be here soon, but I had time if I could just pound out something.

I was glad when Edward offered to drive her over. He was passing by anyway on his way to a nighttime shoot in Plano. We wouldn't have to worry about her car tomorrow when we went shopping. I couldn't wait to see what he photographed. His after dark photos were always gorgeous. I looked out the window to watch the heavy sheets of slanted rain and wind whip the trees in the front yard. I hoped he had better luck with the weather on location though it wasn't far from Garland so chances were slim.

I had the television on but muted. I was keeping an eye on it in case the weatherwoman came on the give any updates. She issued a thunderstorm warning earlier in the day, and Mother Nature did not disappoint. Currently, Dallas County was under a tornado watch. That meant conditions were favorable for a tornado, but there were no sightings yet. I wasn't too worried. Yes, I lived in Tornado Alley, but I had lived her for six years without a tornado. I thought I should probably call my family back home in case they happened to see the news.

I turned back to my article hoping to get it hammered out. A loud crack of thunder sounded causing me to jump. I checked the clock again. 7:04. She was supposed to arrive at 7:15. I glanced at the television to see the weatherwoman on the screen. I reached for the remote and unmuted the television.

"I repeat, a tornado warning has been issued-" A loud clap of thunder cut her off and reverberated through the room; the lights flickered and died.

The storm outside seemed to have calmed and quieted. The wind was a light breeze and the sky looked an odd green color. I sat my laptop aside and walked to the window. I looked outside and everything was eerily calm. The atmosphere felt statically charged as if waiting. For what I didn't know. Then a siren pierced the silence.

It took me a moment to realize it was the tornado siren, as I had never heard it before. My eyes grew wide as I looked to the west in time to see a funnel form and descend from the sky. A high-pitched whine started and the wind picked up again. I snatched my phone, the flashlight I had set out earlier, and my laptop. I grabbed a thick blanket and went into the hall closet.

I covered myself and frantically dialed Alice's number. I could hear the house groaning and things snapping. The phone had no signal. Glass shattered and things smashed into the walls. My breathing and heartbeat increased. _Oh God. What's happening? _The sounds were horrific and made worse by the inability to see what was happening. I heard what sounded like knocking and wondered what it could be. I thought about pressing closer to the door until I _felt_ the house shift. I hovered into a corner and crouched as low as I could.

_I'm going to die._ That was the only thought running through my head. I felt things falling. They were so light I thought it was shoeboxes and clothes. Then heavier things started falling, but I didn't dare pull off the blanket and investigate. I couldn't tell if it was two minutes or two hours later when things calmed and quieted. _Is it over? _I was about to uncover and venture out to inspect the damage; that is, until I heard a loud groan, then crack, and froze. I extended my legs in front of me the adrenaline fading and making my body ache.

Without warning, something shifted, and I both felt and heard the ceiling collapse. Debris fell heavily onto my body. I covered my head in the vain attempt to protect myself, but there was just too much. It wasn't a chunk of the ceiling. It was the whole house. It collapsed in a cacophony of groans, snaps, cracks, and pops. The pain was instantaneous and severe. I felt a stinging sensation as something fell on my legs, then my breath was knocked out of me when I felt a piece of the house slam into my chest.

I tried to move, but my legs wouldn't budge; something pinned them down. I could feel something constricting my chest. It was getting harder and harder to breath. I panted shallowly praying for the oxygen I needed. I reached for my phone, but it wasn't there. I tried to scream, but I couldn't find my voice. _Not like this. I don't want to die like this._ I hadn't talked to Charlie in two weeks. I hadn't done everything I wanted to do. I hadn't told _him_ everything I wanted to.

I opened my eyes, but it was dark. I don't know if my vision tunneled. I don't know if I could even see. I don't know if being trapped was real or my body was too weak to fight. I don't know much of anything after that first piece fell on me. I do know, it hurt like hell and it was too hard to breathe. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.

**Alice's POV**

I woke up slowly to a steady beepin' noise. _Where am I?_ I looked around and realized I was in a hospital. A heart monitor was beside me, and an IV was taped to my hand. I couldn't remember gettin' here. I couldn't remember what happened. All I remembered was Edward driving me to Bella's on his way to a shoot. Bella! Something was wrong. I felt it. I just knew.

"Ali?" I heard Edward say. I turned to where he was walking into the room.

"Edward," I said, my voice crackin'. I could feel the tears tryin' to surface. "Bella. She's hurt."

"What?" He walked to the bed quickly and sat down. "Did ya talk to her? Where is she?" I shook my head.

"I haven't talked to her. I just know she's hurt. Edward, she needs help. You have to help her. Somethin's wrong." I sat up with the intent to leave. He pushed my back down lightly.

"You ain't goin' anywhere, lil sister. You're not well enough to leave. You have to stay here overnight for observation." My heart was poundin'. We didn't have time to wait.

"We have to get to her." He shook his head, his features set.

"No. You were hurt, Ali. A piece of debris hit you. You have a contusion on your head. The CT came back clean, but we can't be 100% sure yet. You're not goin' anywhere until the doctor releases you." The door opened and a tall muscular man walked in.

"Hello, Miss Cullen," he said cheerily. "It's good to see you awake. I'm Dr. McCarty, but you can call me Emmett."

"You have to release me. My friend's in trouble. We have to go help her," I tried to make him understand. He smiled at me supportively.

"I understand you're worried, but I can't do that. You need to stay here until I'm sure you're out of the woods. Have you spoken with your friend?"

"No, but somethin's wrong. I can feel it." He pulled somethin' out of his pocket. It was a syringe. He injected it in my IV. "What are you doin'?" I could feel myself grow sleepy.

"Sleep, firecracker. Just rest." I couldn't answer. The medicine was takin' effect. I tried to protest, but it was fruitless. I slipped unconscious.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. I told y'all ya wouldn't hafta wait so long for the prologue this time. I hope you liked it. I'm sure there are lots of people happy that Bella seems to be done with Mike. Now, if she can just follow through when he returns. Review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	8. Ch 7

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 7**_

**Alice's POV**

**April 22 (Wednesday)**

"No!" I yelled as I sat up abruptly right into someone's arms. I took a deep breath, and the scent that filled my nose was so familiar. "Momma?" I asked as I looked up at her worried face. She smiled widely, her eyes glistenin' a bit.

"Oh, my baby." She leaned forward and hugged me lightly. "I'm so glad to see you're okay."

"Momma, we have to leave." My voice was urgent. She looked at me with worry.

"Why?"

"Bella! Momma, she's hurt. I know she is; I saw her. I had a dream she was buried alive. We hafta help 'er, Momma. We _have_ to." She pulled me into her arms and held my tremblin' frame.

"Alice. Calm down." I could hear the heart monitor beepin' erratically. "Something hit your head, Edward said. It was just a dream."

"No!" Why wouldn't anyone believe me? I turned when the door opened. "Daddy!" He hurried to the bed and hugged me tightly.

"How are ya, baby girl?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine. It's not me we should be worryin' about. Bella's hurt." He looked at Momma, and she shook her head minutely.

"She had a dream that Bella was buried alive," Momma said in explanation. He turned back to me with a sympathetic smile.

"Baby girl, it was just a dream." I shook my head adamantly.

"No! Somethin's wrong. I know it!" The door opened again. I turned to see Edward and narrowed my eyes at him. "Have you gone to check on 'er?"

"I've called her, told her we were worried. She'll call back," he said.

"She can't call back if she's hurt." I put my face in my hands. "Why won't y'all believe me? _Please._ I know somethin's wrong." They all looked at each other.

"I'll drive to her house," Edward finally conceded. "Maybe she's there. Service is hard to get right now. That's probably what's wrong. I'll bring her back here, or if you're out by then, let me know, and we'll come to your apartment."

"Thank you." I felt a little tension leave me. He nodded, kissed mine and Momma's cheek, and hugged Daddy before leavin'. I looked back at my parents. They both looked worn out. "Are y'all okay? You look tired." Momma smiled wryly.

"We got here as soon as we heard the news," Daddy said as he slid an arm around Momma's shoulder. "Dr. McCarty filled us in on how you were doin' then we offered to help out. Your mom's been workin' in the ER, and I've been assisting in the OR."

"I felt like I was in Med School all over again," Momma said with a laugh. "The ER rotation was the worst thing ever. Too many damn doctors with their heads up their asses."

**Edward's POV**

I got in the car and pulled outta the hospital parkin' lot. I was anxious to get to Bell's. Ali had said she and Mike got into a fight on Monday night. She'd called Alice cryin'. She wouldn't give me any details from their conversation, but she'd been goin' to spend the night with Bell. It had to have been bad.

Another reason I was worried…she hadn't called back. I called her as soon as I'd gotten Alice to the hospital. I'd also called every hour since. She hadn't answered the phone or called back. Yes, service had been spotty just as I'd told Ali, but it wasn't horrible. I'd gotten through to Momma and Dad. They'd already arranged a flight into Love Field at the time, but I'd still gotten through. She should have called back by now. I hoped beyond hope she wasn't hurt.

Even though the hospital should have only been twenty minutes from Bell's house, it took me an hour and a half to get to her neighborhood. Ali had called six times wantin' an update. I was three blocks from her house when the streets became too impassable. My heart squeezed. Trees, cars, and other debris littered the road. Houses were missing roofs, windows were blown out, and limbs were impaled in walls. I parked the jeep decidin' to hike the remainin' distance.

The sounds surroundin' me were eerie. Houses groaned, things snapped, and people yelled out for their pets. When I was just two blocks from her street, my panic rose. There was a house leanin' dangerously. One good gust of wind, and it would topple. The damage got more severe the further I traveled. I quickened my steps as my anxiety grew. Something wasn't right. I answered the phone almost absentmindedly, not even hearin' it ring.

"Edward, what is it?" Alice asked frantically.

"I'm not there yet," I said softly.

"Edward, she's buried. I know she is."

"I've gotta let you go, Al. I'll…" I trailed off as I came upon Bell's street. "I'll…Oh god." Every house on her street was leveled. Her house, or rather, where her house should have been, was a pile of rubble, the roof long gone. Her truck was in a tree about twenty yards from her lot.

"Edward! EDWARD!" Alice was yelling into the phone. "What's goin' on?"

"S-send an ambulance." I started runnin' for her house. "Send the fire department, anyone that can dig."

"Edward?" Her voice was small, frightened.

"Do it, Alice! Get Dad too. Just get me some help." I snapped the phone shut and shoved it into my back pocket. "BELL!"

I stopped where her front door should have been. I needed a plan. I needed to know where to start. I pulled roughly at my hair. This was too much. I didn't even know where to begin. I turned around in a circle lookin' for anyone. I spotted two men pickin' through the remains of another house. I yelled to get their attention. They looked over at me.

"Come help me, please!" I yelled. "She's in here somewhere." They both jogged over.

"What's goin' on?" one asked.

"She's in here. She was home when the tornado hit. Help me find her. Please!" I stepped onto what was once a wall.

"What did you say her name was?"

"Bella. Her name's Bella." I walked around slippin' every few seconds. The rubble was unstable. "BELL!" I listened for any signs that she could hear me. I shifted parts of the rubble hopin' to find a sign she was close. The other two men were doing the same. We had to find her. We had to find her soon.

"Stop!" one of them said urgently. We froze. I watched as he strained to hear. "Bella?" I closed my eyes to focus.

"Here," I heard her voice call weakly before she coughed. I hurried towards the sound, fallin' and scrapin' my arm in the process.

"Bell!" I yelled as I got closer.

"Edward." I knelt down and pressed my ear as low as I could. "Edward." Her voice was raspy and weak, but she was alive. And right below me.

"Bell, I'm right here." I couldn't see her, but I knew she was close. I snaked my hand around the debris until I encountered cloth. "Can you feel me? Can you grab my hand?" I listened to her labored breath, her wheezin'. She whimpered as I felt her move around. Something shifted, and I froze. "Don't move, Bell. Stay still. Help will be here soon."

"I called 911. They were already on their way. She said they should be here in five minutes," one of the men said. She let out a little sob then gasped.

"Bell, what's wrong?" She sniffled but didn't answer. "Talk to me, sweetheart."

"When I get out, can you do me a favor?" she asked between gulps of air.

"Of course; anything."

"Will you grab my laptop and phone? I almost finished my article." I laughed at her request.

"That's the last thing you need to worry about right now." She whimpered again. "How ya doin'? What's hurt?"

"Everything." I rubbed the cloth my hand was touching hoping it was her; trying to sooth her in any way I could. "Ali. Okay?"

"She's fine. She's got a bump on the head, but she's fine."

"You?"

"I'm fine, Bell. Just worry 'bout yourself." I could hear sirens in the distance and prayed they were for us. Her wheezin' worsened as I listened. "You're gonna be fine, sweetheart. We're gonna get you outta here, and everything's gonna be fine. Okay?" She didn't answer. "Bell?" There was no answer again. "Bella! Answer me." I watched as a fire truck pulled through a yard and in front of us. "Isabella, you answer me right now." Her breathing was shallow; she didn't answer.

"Excuse me," someone said. I turned to see a fire fighter standin' at the house's edge. "Sir, are you hurt?"

"No," I answered. "Just a scrape. She's under here. She was here when the tornado hit. We just found her ten minutes ago."

"Is she talking?" Two more fire fighters ran to his side.

"She was, but she just stopped not a minute ago. She's breathin' shallow and wheezin'. She said everything hurts. I can't move anything around her."

"Don't! We've got to stabilize the area around her. I need you to come over here slowly. Try not to shift anything." I shook my head.

"No. She needs me."

"She needs out, and I can't do that worryin' about you too. Come this way." I reluctantly got up and made my way towards the edge. A paramedic led me towards an ambulance. I watched as the professionals quickly began workin'.

"Are you hurt anywhere besides your arm?" the paramedic asked.

"No," I answered distractedly before turnin' to address her directly. "I wasn't here when the house fell. I scratched it lookin' for her. It just needs a bandage." She sat me on the bumper of the ambulance.

"I'm going to check you over anyways, okay?" I nodded. We were quite while I watched the fire fighters, and she worked.

"She's gonna be okay." I needed to say it, hear it.

"We're going to do our best to make sure she is. How do you know her?"

"She's my friend."

"Do you know if she has any allergies?"

"Ummm. I think I remember her saying she's allergic to antihistamines."

"Any medical conditions?"

"No. Oh! She's anemic. That's all." Once she finished bandaging my arm, she released me. I walked closer to the house, but one of the fire fighters stopped me.

"Stay back. We can't take the chance of you gettin' hurt. They're doin' their best. We should have her out in a few minutes," he said reassuringly. I nodded then realized my phone was ringin'. I pulled it from my back pocket and answered the unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Edward, what's going on?" Dad asked, his voice worried.

"Dad." I felt my heart squeeze again. "She's…She's…"

"Son, what is it?"

"She was in the house." There was a pregnant pause.

"Is she…"

"She talked to me for a few minutes. Her breathin's shallow and wheezy. She stopped answerin' me about ten minutes ago."

"She's alive, Edward. That's all that matters right now. We'll worry about-"

"I gotta go, Dad. They're pullin' her out."

I flipped the phone shut not carin' about cuttin' my dad off. I watched as they gently and strategically pulled her from the rubble and onto a backboard. I could see blood on her face, arm, and chest of her shirt. The paramedic that treated me made her way to them and slipped an oxygen mask over Bella's nose and mouth. The fire fighters had already slipped a brace around her neck.

They hurried to the ambulance. I followed closely behind. I needed her to be okay. She had to be okay. They put her in the ambulance then turned to close the doors. I started to pull myself into the back with her, but the paramedic stopped me.

"I'm sorry, sir. We can't let you ride along," she said sympathetically. "Only family."

"Take her to Baylor Medical Center, please. She's got family there, parents. Drs. Carlisle and Esme Cullen are in visitin'. They're helping at that hospital. Please." She turned to look at her partner in the driver's seat. He nodded.

"Okay. We will."

"Thank you." She smiled and slammed the door shut. I watched as they drove away. I hurried back to the jeep and called my dad's cell on the way. He answered on the second ring.

"Edward, is she okay?" he asked without greeting.

"She's still breathin'. They're bringin' her there. I kinda told 'em y'all are her parents." He chuckled. "Will you be there for her? Dad, she doesn't have any family here." I pulled the door open and tried to put the key in the ignition three times, but my hands were shakin' severely.

"We'll be here for her, Son. Please calm down before you drive. I want you here in one piece." I took a deep breath. "Alice wants to talk to you."

"Edward, was she okay?" I heard Ali ask anxiously. I laid my forehead on the steerin' wheel tryin' to will the image of her bloody body away.

"She's alive." Dad was right. That's all that mattered now.

"Did ya talk to her? Did ya see her?"

"I talked to her. Oh! That reminds me. She asked me to get her laptop and phone." I opened the door and walked back toward her place. Ali laughed.

"That's Bella. Priorities outta order." I smiled. It was very Bell-like.

"Do you have her parents' number?" I made it back to the house and walked over the rubble carefully.

"Yeah. It's in my phone. I think the phone's in the closet. Momma, can you hand me my phone?" I lucked out, cause the fire fighters had left a large hole where she was. The phone and laptop were relatively accessible. "Thanks. I'll text it to ya. I gotta call Mike." Just the thought of that douche set me on edge, but I couldn't blame 'er. She had to call.

"Thanks, Ali. I'll call her parents. Are you getting' released soon, or should I come back to the hospital?" She sighed.

"Hospital. Emmett said I can't leave for at least a few more hours." I started makin' my way back to the jeep.

"I'll be there in a little over an hour. Do you need anything?"

"No. I' okay. I'll see if Momma and Daddy can find out anything about Bella before ya get here."

"Okay. I'm gonna get off the phone now. Love ya, Ali."

"Love you too, Bubba."

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. Happy Saturday everyone! I'm early. I've been campin this week, and internet has been spotty. Since I have it today, I wanted to get this out so that there's no chance of missin this week's update.**

**If people would just listen to Ali. She's not crazy. Okay, she's not totally crazy. Oh, yeah. We meet the Cullen parents. I hope you like em. I wanted to see a snarkier Esme. She's always so subdued. **

**Hehe. Edward lied to the paramedics. That's not very nice. :) If he'd just lied about his relationship to her, then he coulda rode with her. But he wouldn't have remembered the laptop and phone. Which reminds me...Pyjammies, your last review made me smile. You were the only one who asked mentioned the laptop.**

**Review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	9. Ch 8

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 8**_

**Bella's POV**

**April 23 (Thursday)**

I woke up to my alarm clock feeling exhausted. I laid there for a moment hoping it would magically turn off. Wait. That wasn't my alarm clock. The sound was steady, hollow. I opened my eyes, squinting against the harsh light. I turned to the side and groaned at the movement. I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.

"Bells!" I jumped a bit at the surprised sound. I closed my eyes against the pain. "Bells, can you hear me?" That was Dad. Why was Dad here? Where was here?

"I can hear ya, Dad," I answered, my voice rough and throat dry. I opened my eyes again.

"Oh, Bella," I heard Mom say. She reached forward and smoothed my hair from my forehead. Even though we'd had a rough start when she married Dad just after my eighth birthday and later when Ian was born, I loved Sue. She was the best mom a girl could ask for; better than mine could be. I could see the fear and worry in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're okay." I knew they could see the confusion on my face. "Do you remember what happened?"

"What do you mean?" I thought back. "I was waiting for Ali to arrive. I must have fallen asleep. Is she here yet? Why are y'all here?" Mom looked at Dad hesitantly.

"You're in the hospital, Bells," he said softly. I looked to my side finally taking stock of the room. The beeping noise I thought was my alarm clock was a heart monitor.

"What happened? What am I doing here?" Mom stroked my head. I watched as tears welled in her eyes.

"There was a tornado." I looked back at Dad as he spoke. He was watching me carefully. "You were home, waiting on Alice. The tornado hit before she got there. The fire fighters guessed you got in the hall closet, covered up with a blanket. The tornado hit-" He cleared his throat when his voice got thick. "It touched down a street over. It was an F3.

"You…it…your house…it was leveled." I felt my breath leave me forcefully. "You were trapped. That was on Tuesday. Edward drove over on Wednesday when you weren't answering your phone. He called 911, the firefighters dug you out, and you were brought to the hospital." I couldn't remember anything he was talking about. I couldn't reconcile it in my mind.

"Edward called us," Mom said. "We saw it on the news and were trying to get a hold of you. I was so relieved when he said he was calling about you and that you were okay. We booked the quickest flight we could."

"Where's Sam and Ian?" I asked. Just then, the door to my room opened. They walked in with a Pepsi in one hand and a Butterfinger candy bar in the other.

"Izzy!" Sam said excitedly and rushed to the bed. She handed the stuff to Mom then threw her arms around me.

"Hi Sammie," I said with a smile to my little sister. She was the youngest at fourteen. Ian, their eighteen-year-old, stood at the side of the bed looking lost. "How are ya?"

"Me? I'm fine. How are you?" She pulled back and sat on the bed. "Mom and Dad were so worried. I mean, I was too, but it felt like you'd be okay. You are okay, right? I need you to be okay." I smiled at her exuberance. She reminded me so much of Alice sometimes but a spitting image of her mother.

"I think I'm fine. I feel really sore, but I think I'm okay." I looked over at Dad. "Am I okay?"

"You've got some bumps and bruises, some superficial scrapes, and a pulmonary contusion. That means your lung is bruised. Other than that, you're in ace shape. Dr. Cullen said you could go home…he says you can leave this afternoon." I looked over at Ian, smiled, and patted his hand that was resting on the bed.

"Hey, Ian. How are ya, bud?" He swallowed and looked down.

"Fine. Worried." Ian was a great kid, very protective. "I was watching Headline News and saw the story. I tried to call you, but you didn't answer. I went to the living room and turned off the baseball game so Dad could see. We would have been here sooner. I'm sorry I didn't catch it earlier." I smiled.

"It's not your fault. You can't keep on constant alert. You got here as soon as you could. It's all that matters." I tugged on his hand. "Do I get a hug?" He finally smiled then leaned down to hug me. I wish I'd had more time to be their sister before moving away. We all looked when there was a knock on the door. Carlisle peeked in and smiled.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said with a smile.

"Course not, doc," Dad said as he and Mom stood. "We were just filling Bells in on what happened." He stepped inside with a puzzled expression.

"Do you not remember?" I shook my head no. "I'm sorry. Where are my manners?" He leaned forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I stifled my giggle. _Cullen men._ "It's good to see you again, Bella. I just wish it were under better circumstances." I nodded. "You don't remember what happened?"

"No," I answered. "It's all a bit surreal. I don't remember anything. I know I was waiting on Ali, but that's all. Then Dad said the house collapsed, and I was trapped. I don't feel like it happened."

"That's normal. If you don't remember it, you won't feel ownership of it. You were very smart though. I was told you covered yourself with a blanket. It saved you. Without it, the debris would have caused so much more damage."

"Is Ali okay? Edward?" I was getting worried since they hadn't been in yet. I figured Alice would be close by if she could.

"Alice is fine. She's got a bump on the head, but she's going to be okay. She was kept overnight for observation and released yesterday afternoon. Edward wasn't hurt, at least not from the tornado. He scraped his arm when he was looking for you, but it's just a scratch. He just needed a bandage." I nodded, glad to hear of their well-being.

"When can I leave?" He smiled at me with humor.

"Alice said you weren't one for hospitals. You'll probably be released soon."

"I'll have to start looking for a place to stay. Is there a computer I can-" I stopped at the thought. "My laptop! No! All my work was on that. Everything! What-"

"Bella." Dr. Cullen's soft voice stopped me. He was smiling at me and chuckled. "Edward has your laptop and phone. Apparently, you asked him to make sure he got it once you were pulled out of the rubble." Charlie chuckled.

"She always did have her priorities mixed up," Charlie said as he laughed as well.

I jumped when the door to my room slammed open. _Motherfucker_! The sudden movement made me hiss at the severe pain that shot through my body. I closed my eyes against the pain and breathed through my nose. That moment I decided a pulmonary contusion was much worse than it sounded. How could a _bruise_ cause so much pain?

"Bella!" Alice's lilting voice exclaimed. I heard her footsteps rush to the bed. I opened my eyes in time to see her throw her arms open to hug me, hesitate, and then lean down gently. She hugged me, I tried to return it, and she signed in relief. "Bella, I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried about you. I saw you in that house, in the rubble. I made Edward go check on you. I knew he'd find you. I was so worried. I was so worried you'd be hurt." I smiled at her ramblings.

"I'm okay, Ali," I assured her in a soft voice. I turned to see that Edward had entered the room too, albeit much quieter. "You found me?" He nodded. I watched as he smiled and something flashed in his eyes. He shrugged and the movement drew my attention to his arm. I gasped. "What happened?" Alice sat up and moved to stand beside Dad and Mom. Edward walked over to sit next to me on the bed. I reached for his arm and ever so gently ran my fingers over the gauze.

"It's just a scrape, nothin' to worry about," he said and patted my hand. "You just need to worry 'bout yourself and getting better."

"I'm sorry you got hurt tr-" He placed a finger over my lips to silence me.

"Stop apologizin'." He trailed his hand down my arm and squeezed my hand. "All that matters is that you're safe. It's one little scrape. I'll live; it only itches. I promise. Don't worry about me." I smiled. Someone cleared their throat pulling me from my thoughts. I turned to the group to see Alice, Mom, and Esme, _when did she get here?_ with a small smile on their faces. Dad and Ian looked a bit perturbed. Sammie was looking at Dad and Mom curiously. "How are you?" I looked back at Edward when he drew my attention away from our families.

"Sore." He smirked.

"I imagine being trapped under a house would do that."

"Damnit, Edward!" Esme admonished him. I smiled and chuckled then grabbed at my ribs. It hurt. "Show some tact."

"It's okay, Esme. I don't mind," I said through gritted teeth. "When did y'all get here?" I looked over to Esme and Carlisle so they'd know I was addressing them.

"We flew in as soon as we could," Carlisle said. "We took our stuff to Edward's place then came here. We've been helpin' out since a disaster this size leaves hospitals severely understaffed." I smiled at his admission. That didn't surprise me at all.

"Thank you for calling Mom and Dad," I said to Edward. He smiled and nodded. We heard a knock at the door and turned to see another doctor stick his head in.

"Well, don't we have a full house," he said and smiled a boyishly handsome smile, a stark contradiction to his structure. The man was a wall of muscle standing at least 6'5''. He had broad shoulders making me think of a football player. He had curly brown hair, and again, a boyishly handsome smile. He seemed so innocent and completely approachable. He stepped inside and made his way toward me. I moved to sit up, but he and Edward held me in place. "Don't try to sit up. Just relax. I'm Dr. McCarty, but you can call me Emmett."

"Bella," I offered. He smiled.

"Oh, I know _all_ about you, Bella Maria Swan." He chuckled then glanced at Alice. She shrugged but didn't look sorry at all. I just rolled my eyes. I should have known. "Tell me how you're feeling." He pulled a penlight from his pocket and flashed it at my eyes.

"Sore. I don't remember what happened. I just feel sore and tired." He pulled his stethoscope from around his neck and put it in his ears before lifting the side of my gown and placing the cold instrument on my ribs.

"Take a deep breath for me." I took one as deep as I could, which wasn't very deep. He moved to the other side of my torso and instructed me to do the same. He removed his hand and placed the instrument over my chest. "Just breathe normally." He put the stethoscope around his neck and pulled the sleeve of my gown up. I could see stitches in three different places. "My little girl Lillian would love to play 'connect the dots' with you." I looked at him strangely. "She uses a marker to connect all the dots on me. Apparently I've got a lotta freckles. You've got a few spots to work with." I smiled at the idea. He turned to everyone in the room. "Could I have a few minutes? I need to do a more thorough exam on Bella."

"Of course," Carlisle said. He placed his hand on the small of Esme's back and led her out. Dad did the same for Mom and Sammie; Ian followed. Alice and Edward stayed in their spot.

"I'll just be a few minutes. I promise." Alice looked torn, Edward determined.

"It's okay, guys. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be fine," I assured them.

"Are you sure, Bella?" Alice asked. I nodded. "We'll be right outside. Do you want anything to eat, drink?"

"Water would be nice." She grabbed Edward and hurried for the door.

"We'll go get you water. Anything else? Want something to eat? I'll get you some crackers too. Okay? Okay. We'll be right back." Her voice trailed off as she left the room. I turned back to Dr. Mc…Emmett as he chuckled.

"She's a bit of a handful sometimes." I closed my droopy eyelids. I felt so tired.

"I can see that," Emmett said as he pulled the sheet down. "I need to do some poking and prodding. I know it sucks, but it needs to be done." He grabbed the hem of the gown. "She put some pants on you, so don't be nervous." I let him lift the gown to just below my breasts. My stomach was different shades of black and blue. I must be bruised everywhere. He pressed into my stomach making me hiss. It was over in just a few minutes. He pulled the gown back down and the sheet over me.

"So?"

"Everything looks good." He chuckled at his own words. "Well, medically, everything looks good. You're very lucky. As you can see, you've got a lot of scrapes, bruises, and bumps. You do have a pulmonary contusion, but you're wheezing decreased, and you're oxygen saturation levels are up to 94. I can release you in a few hours. How does that sound?"

"Really good; that sounds really good. I hate hospitals." He laughed a booming laugh.

"That's what the little one said." He pulled a chart from the end of the bed and started writing. He laughed when the door opened and Alice stuck her head in. "Y'all can come in." She came inside with everyone following. Edward and Dad both came to sit on the bed on either side of me. "Bella's doing well. I'm going to release her in a few hours." I was fighting to keep my eyes open.

"That's great news," Mom said with a tearful smile. I smiled at her.

"First thing's first," I said. "I need my computer. I gotta look for a place to stay."

"Oh, no need to worry about that. You're staying with me," Alice said matter-of-factly.

"Ali, I'm not gonna impose." She scoffed.

"Please, BB." She even rolled her eyes. "You're not an imposition. It'll be fun, and I've got a spare room." She bounced a little in her excitement.

"Thank you. I'll be out of your hair as soon as I can. Promise."

"Don't worry about it. There's no rush." I tried to fight back a yawn but couldn't. Edward reached forward and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Sleep," he said softly. "I'm sure you're exhausted. We'll be here when you wake." I might have nodded, but I was out so quickly I couldn't know for sure.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. Hello again, everyone. I hope ya had a great week. So, Bella's hurt but not too bad. Edward saved her and the computer! hehe How do ya feel about Bella's family? She's a big sister! It's not gonna be somethin I mention then ignore either. We'll delve a bit more into her family history throughout the story, but it's not gonna be a focal point.**

**Now Bella's gonna stay with Ali. They always say you shouldn't do business or live with friends. Is that gonna be the case for these two? And what's up with Edward and that little glint she saw? :)**

**Let me know what ya think in a review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	10. Ch 9

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 9**_

**Alice's POV**

**April 24 (Friday)**

I pushed the front door open with my hip and carried the grocery bags to the kitchen. I had to drive almost to the next town to find a grocery store with enough food to make a meaningful trip. I was buyin' for two now since Bella moved in, and I was excited. I had missed having a roommate, the guarantee that someone would be there waitin' for ya each day, excited to see ya, someone you could count on just being a constant in your life.

I put the bags down and grabbed a water bottle before makin' my way to the living room. Bella was sittin' on the couch, a blanket over her lap. Edward was sittin' next to her, his arm over the back of the couch, fingers wrapping around her hair. I smiled at the sight. He'd been very obvious since she'd come home from the hospital. I think findin' her in the house, watchin' her being pulled from the rubble unconscious, really scared him.

When he'd arrived at the hospital, laptop and phone in hand, he was nearly incoherent. All he could do was ask about Bella. Momma pulled him to sit in a chair and almost had to sit on him to keep him still. He paced the room and tried more than once to go find Bella. Daddy actually made him see another doctor; he'd been so worried. Edward was fine, just really concerned. Daddy'd then insisted Edward speak to the hospital psychologist that was makin' rounds. I don't know what they talked about, but he'd been with her for forty-five minutes. When he came out, he looked much calmer and was able to talk to us.

"Hey, you two," I said to alert them of my presence. They both turned to look at me and smiled.

"Hey, Ali," Bella said. "How was the shopping trip?"

"Good. I've got a pile of bags on the counter that need to be put up." Edward looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I just smiled at him innocently. "Please?" He shook his head with a sigh but smiled.

"I can do that," Bella answered. Edward clamped a hand on her shoulder before she could move.

"You're not doin' anything but restin'," he admonished her softly. "I'll get 'em. Do you want anything while I'm up?" She shook her head. "Kay. I'll be back in a few minutes." He stood and walked out of the room, kissin' me on the cheek as he did. I walked over and sat next to Bella.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Nothin'," I told her again. "It's just groceries. I'd have to buy them even if you weren't here. Stop worryin'." She huffed.

"I can damn well contribute. I don't want to mooch off you." I shook my head and shushed her.

"You're not moochin'. Drop the subject."

"Whore."

"Bitch."

"Twat waffle." I don't know where she'd learned that, but I loved it.

"Cumquat." She snorted at that one.

"I'm not a fruit." I laughed.

"Out of all the insults I've ever thrown at you, you take offense to the _fruit_. Really, Bella?" She giggled and changed the channel. "So, what were y'all doin'?"

"Watching TV." I just stared at her. She finally looked over and tried to hide a smile. "Really, Ali, that's all we were doin'. He's been so nice to me since the tornado." I hummed my agreement. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't sent him to the house, if he hadn't found me." She shuddered at the thought. I rubbed her back in comfort.

She'd started to get some of her memory back from those two days. Last night, her first night out of the hospital, I'd woken to her blood-curdling scream. She's had a nightmare, or rather, a memory. She'd dreamt of the house collapsin', of the walls cavin' in. I'd rushed to the guest room, Edward a step ahead of me, to find her pantin' and clutchin' her side.

_Her cryin', pantin', and thrashin' had really done a number on her. She was in agony; there was no question about that. I called Daddy's cell, but he didn't answer. So, I called Edward's house phone. Momma, Daddy, and the Swans were staying at Edward's to avoid hotel costs. Edward had been sleepin' on our couch. Ian answered in a daze but snapped to attention when he heard Bella in the background._

"_What's going on? What's wrong with Bella?" he asked frantically. I heard him open a door and shuffle quickly down the hall._

"_She's hurtin'," I said, my own voice strained. "My dad didn't answer his cell. Let me talk to him, Ian." I heard him frantically knock on a door._

"_Why's she hurting? What happened?" I had sat on the bed and tried to sooth Bella by rubbing her arm. Edward was lying beside her, his arms wrapped around her body. He was holding her immobile, keepin' her from hurtin' herself anymore than she already had._

"_I don't know. I think it was a nightmare."_

Daddy had answered the door a bit roughly but took the phone quickly when Ian told him somethin' was wrong with Bella. I told him everything I knew, and he'd told me to give her some pain medicine and wait for it to kick in. It was the only thing we could do. She was out thirty minutes later; Edward hadn't left her side since.

"Have you heard from Mike?" I asked her quietly. I'd called the prick as soon as I'd woken up. He had his cell turned off since he was either in flight to or already in India. I left a message then called his company. They assured me they'd pass on the message as soon as he landed.

"No," she said. I couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved.

"He'll call. Hell, he may even be on a plane back here."

She tried to crack a smile, but it wasn't genuine. The idiot had better be on a flight or held hostage. It'd been three days with no contact. That was unacceptable. She didn't seem to care too much. I knew she was done with him, or would be as soon as she could, but it had to still sting. It didn't matter how much of a jerk he'd been in the past, this was big. This was a life and death issue or almost had been. He should have called by now.

"Okay," I heard Edward said. I turned to see him walk back in, three popsicles in hand. "What's the plan? Movie? Dinner? Dinner and a movie?"

"There's so much to do. I need to get in touch with Ben. I have a few articles that need to be finished, and then there's _my _article I have to worry about. I have to meet with the insurance agent, find a place to stay. I have to-"

"Bell, Bell, Bell." He placed his hands on her shoulders and massaged lightly. "Movie, dinner, dinner and a movie: which one? Everything else can wait a day."

"Movie," Bella said decidedly with a weary smile, her head back so she could look up at him. The way he was lookin' at her was so obvious. My mind drifted to the blonde. "I don't really feel up to eating. Still a bit nauseous," she said bringin' me out of my thoughts. The medicine had had her stomach in knots.

"Then nibble on this. No; no arguments." He cut off her protest as he picked up the popsicles from the back of the couch where he'd laid them. "You're not drinkin' enough fluids and you lost a lot of blood remember. You need to keep your blood sugar up. This kills two birds with one stone. Now, which movie?" I took the popsicles from him and let Bella choose first. Red, of course.

"Not a comedy. My lungs can't handle laughing." He looked though my collection before pullin' out Boondock Saints. "Oooh! Yeah!" He smiled and loaded the movie then turned the lights out. I stood up claimin' I needed popcorn. Really, I just wanted to give Edward his seat back. I'd seen the pout on his face when he turned to take a seat as the previews began.

**Edward's POV**

**April 26 (Sunday)**

"I've never seen such a mess," Charlie said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The weather had turned unbelievably humid. It'd also rained early in the mornin', so it really just wasn't a great day. I'd lived in Texas so long though, that I'd gotten used to it. Charlie and the rest of Bella's family, however, were not accustomed to it. As Charlie put it, they weren't even used to sunlight. He wiped his hands on his jeans before lookin' back at what used to be Bella's house.

"At least the foundation is slab," the insurance agent said. "We won't have to start from scratch." I looked at him sharply. We'd just pulled Bella from this rubble, and he was sayin' careless shit like that.

We were at the site for hours it seemed. In the end, Danny, the insurance agent, said they'd pay for the rebuild. Bella would be ecstatic. She loved this place, loved even more that it was hers. Momma, Sue, Alice, and Samantha were walkin' the edge of the rubble gatherin' anything they thought was salvageable. Dad, Charlie, Ian, and I were talkin' with Danny, takin' everything in. We'd forced Bella to stay at Alice's. Dad, Charlie, and I thought it wouldn't be a good thing for her to see just yet.

"Okay," Danny said. "I'll get her claim processed. As long as the weather cooperates, we should have her back in within five to six months."

"That long?" I asked. Danny and Charlie chuckled.

"That's relatively quick," Charlie said. "He wasn't kidding when he was talking about having the foundation. It'll make this project move much faster. Thanks Danny. Good luck with the rest of your day."

"Thank you, sir. I'll be in touch."

"Thanks." He turned his wrist to check his watch as Danny walked away. "It's almost five. What do you say we pick up pizza and head back to Bells? She'll want to hear the good news."

"We'll stop by Pizza Hut," Dad said. "Anything in particular y'all like?" Charlie shrugged.

"Sue and I are easy. Sam doesn't like vegetables."

"Just like her sister," I said. Charlie chuckled and nodded.

Dad, Momma, Alice and I piled into my jeep while Charlie, Sue, Ian, and Sam got into their Ford Edge rental. They were gonna head back to Alice's while we grabbed dinner. I called ahead so that when we arrived, I didn't have to wait. I went inside, paid for the food, and we were on our way in no time. When we pulled up to Alice's, Bella's family was still in the car. They stepped out as we did.

"We didn't want to wake her if she was asleep, so we just decided to wait," Sue said.

I nodded in understanding. Bella hadn't been sleepin' well. If she was asleep at all, we tried not to disturb her. We followed Alice to the door and inside quietly once she unlocked it. Dad and Momma went to pour drinks, and I was placin' the pizza on the dining room table when I heard Sue gasp. Confused, and worried, I hurried to the living room, my parents not far behind.

"Bells?" Charlie asked quietly.

"Sam, Ian, go to the kitchen," Sue said urgently. Sam started to protest. "Now!" She scurried away at her mother's harsh tone.

I peeked around to see Bell sittin' on the floor between the couch and coffee table. I was worried and confused in an instant. She had her feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Her elbows rested on her knees, her arms extended in front of her. In one hand, she had a small glass, in the other…I looked closer. It was a bottle of something. I couldn't see her face 'cause she was facin' away from us.

"Bells," Charlie started again, almost as if speakin' to a baby fawn. "What are you doing, baby girl?" She shook her head.

"Bella, sweetie, you don't have to do this," Sue said softly as she placed a hand on Charlie's forearm. I heard Bell sniffle. I wanted to go hug her, tell her it'd be okay. I didn't know what 'it' was, but I'd help her get through it. I just wanted her to not do…whatever it was Charlie and Sue seemed so upset by.

"It's all gone," her raspy voice whispered. "The house, the truck, everything inside is destroyed. All the pictures have to be ruined."

"They're going to rebuild the house. We'll get you a new truck. We're going to go through what we can this week. Maybe not all of it is gone."

"Two days. I've lost nearly two days. Where did they go? I don't even remember most of it. How does a person lose two days?" She poured some of the drink…whiskey into the glass with a shaky hand. Sue gripped Charlie's arm harder as her other hand covered her mouth.

"Bella, that's not going to solve your problems."

Then it hit me. I should have seen it; I should have realized it. Bella was a recovering alcoholic. I wanted to kick myself for all the times I'd tried to get her to drink. She never drank, never went near a bar. Even the smell of it sent her runnin'. She was always so angry when Mike tried to get her to drink. _He knew._ It hurt that he knew and I didn't.

I looked over at my sister to see if she was surprised; she was. She hadn't known either. And the tattoo. That should have been a neon sign. The serenity prayer. It was said at every AA meeting. I'd gone to a few with my ex, Jane, when her brother slipped.

I walked around the couch and knelt next to her. A few tears trailed down her cheeks and she looked ahead almost unseeing. I rested my hand on her arm and used my other to tuck her hair behind her ear. She turned to look at me finally registerin' someone was in front of her. She sniffled again and looked at the glass.

"You don't have to do this, Bell," I said softly.

"What else can I do?" she said softly, hoarsely. "It's all gone. I can't get it back."

"We're not sure what all is gone. We're gonna try to recover all that we can. It's just gonna take a while."

"I don't know what to do. It's all too much. I don't know what to do."

"You have a choice. You can drink that, get completely drunk, and forget about everything. For a while. Then you'll sober up, hurt like hell, and have to start your struggle over from scratch. Or…" She looked at me with a guarded expression. "You can give me the bottle, hurt for a little while, and then make a plan to fix this. We can help you. You're not alone. You don't have to do this by yourself. We're here for ya." She looked back at the bottle. "How long has it been, Bell?" It took a minute for her to answer.

"Five years," she said just above a whisper.

"Six in two months," Charlie said proudly.

"Do you really want to mess up a six year stretch?" She hung her head then held the bottle towards me. I took it from her hands and sat it behind me before pulling her into a hug. She took a deep, shuddering breath that turned into a sob before wrapping her arms around me in return.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed again. Also, so sorry this is a little late. I had a busy weekend for my best friend's birthday. We went to a Big Cats Exhibit, the Caldwell Zoo, and a drive-thru Safari. Needless to say, I slept late today. **

**Did you like the beginning? Edward to the rescue! Now he can't stay away. He's being attentive and taking care of her. It helps that he's staying with them while the parents take his house.**

**Apparently, I can't stay away from the drama. Next chapter though, we're back to happy, fun times. Did you see the alcoholic bit coming? I had one person PM me with thoughts on that. **

**Review, and I'll send you a sneak peek of the next chapter. :)**


	11. Ch 10

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: Twilight Drama Teach**

_**Chapter 10**_

**Bella's POV**

**April 27 (Monday)**

I sat up in the bed with a groan and huff. Sleep hadn't come to me very easily. I may have gotten a total of four hours, the longest stretch being an hour and fifteen minutes. I finally got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. If sleep was going to elude me, I was going to try to be productive.

I took a half hour in the shower. My muscles were still sore but not terribly so. I dressed in yoga pants and a tank top. Anything tighter hurt my breathing. I brushed my hair and pulled it into a high ponytail. I padded into the kitchen barefoot and started the coffee. I popped a bagel in the toaster then went into the dining room and turned my laptop on. I don't know what I would have done if that hadn't survived.

"Morning!" I heard Alice chirp behind me. I grunted in return. "Why so grumpy? Did you not sleep well?" I shook my head. "I'm sorry."

The computer finally started. I opened my email hoping Ben had gotten back to me. I was wondering if my article was still a go. My inbox was empty, no new messages. I let out a long breath. If I didn't hear from him in 24 hours, I was going to his office. I opened a blank document to brainstorm, but twenty minutes later, it was still blank.

"Hello." I was startled by Edward's greeting behind me. He leaned over the chair to kiss my cheek. "Hey Bell," he said softly. He grabbed the laptop and motioned for me to follow. "The couch is gonna be more comfortable for you." I walked around and sat on the couch. He sat the laptop in my lap then wiggled the mouse to bring the computer back to life. My blank document stared at me mockingly. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"My article," I huffed. "Well, you can see it's coming along swimmingly." He cupped the back of my neck and massaged. I let out an embarrassing moan. He stood behind me and used both hands to massage my shoulders. Another moan escaped, but I couldn't care less. "Ungh. That feels amazing."

"You're so tense. Relax." I did relax. Slowly, I felt the tension leave me. He leaned forward and kissed the top of my head before stepping over the back of the couch and sliding down to sit next to me. "I had a thought about your article."

"Hmm." My eyes were still closed; my shoulders jelly. He chuckled.

"I was thinkin' we could work together." I cracked one eye open and looked at him curiously. I could have salivated at how good he looked in his sleep pants and thin, sleeveless undershirt. I shook my head trying to rid the thought. That would get me nowhere. I'd spent too long drooling over him; I knew it wasn't going to happen. It would have by now if so. "I've been takin' a lot of pictures of the…aftermath; leveled houses, standin' frames, people searchin', rebuildin'. I know you were thinkin' about a humanitarian piece. We could collaborate. I'll give you my photos to use with your article. What do ya think?"I didn't know what to think. Edward was an exceptional photographer; he really was. People paid good money, _really good money_ for his photos.

"Edward. I can't-you can't-I mean, I can't just-" He placed two fingers over my lips to silence me. He just smiled as his fingers slid down my chin and neck. The movement made me shiver.

"I want you to use them. You're a great writer. It'd be an honor to have my photos associated with your work. Think about it. I really want ya to." I smiled. I turned as Ali walked into the living room, two coffee cups in hand. I'm sure my eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas. I reached for the cup, and she laughed as she handed one over.

"Bless you, angel." She rolled her eyes.

"You're too addicted to that stuff," she admonished. I flipped her off.

We didn't really talk for the next few minutes. Alice turned on the television and flipped channels until she found a rerun of _Golden Girls_. She had an odd fascination with the show. She said that everyone could take friendship lessons from Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche. She really was weird, but we wouldn't have her any other way.

"So, what's the plan this week?" I finally asked once the caffeine had time to permeate my whole body.

"I'm goin' in to take care of the shop startin' tomorrow, I have a check-up on Wednesday, and Momma and Daddy leave Saturday," Ali said. I looked over at Edward.

"Well, I was gonna see if you wanna go look at cars one day this week. I was also gonna take you to start lookin' at what kind of tile, carpet, and stuff like that you wanna use for the rebuild. I've gotta take some more pictures too. Whatever you felt up to doin'." I could feel my cheeks heat a bit. "That okay?" I nodded before turning back to the television.

"Do you mind if Ian comes along? He'd love that." All boys liked cars, right? It'd give me a chance to spend some time with him. I knew I couldn't make up for my absence, but maybe he'd enjoy this.

"Sure. He can keep me company while you're oglin' all the pretty cars." I smirked.

"You two will be the ones ogling." I saw Ali smirking out of the corner of my eye but chose to ignore her.

**April 29 (Wednesday)**

Edward opened the door and helped me stand. My body was loosening up, but the action of sitting or standing still hurt like hell. I thanked him as he closed the jeep door and led me toward a line of cars. Ian was already ahead of me 'oohing' and 'ahhing.' I smiled at the sight. I really missed him and Sammie.

This was our fourth dealership today. I was getting tired. I hadn't found anything so far that screamed, "Buy me!" I was starting to get frustrated. I'd decided to go with a car instead of a truck this time. No truck would live up to Old Red, so I wasn't even going to try.

"I know you'll like this one," Edward said excitedly.

"Can we be done for the day?" I asked with a huff. "There's nothing here."

"Of course there's stuff here," he said almost exasperated. "You're just never going to replace Old Red. You won't find anything if you keep thinkin' like that either." I knew that, but it was still hard.

I hadn't really been focusing on what he was saying. My eyes were drawn to the pretty white car in front of me. It was sleek and shiny. It looked sporty but not douchy. Edward had made fun of me when I'd described the last car like that. This one though, this one was classy. I ran my hand over the smooth curves.

"Bell?" I turned when I realized Edward was talking to me. A smiling salesman stood next to him.

"Hmm?" I questioned.

"Bell, this is Shane. He was talkin' to ya." I limped forward and extended my hand.

"Bells, look at the interior. It's beautiful," Ian said excitedly.

"I'm sorry. I'm Bella. Nice to meet you." He shook my hand gently.

"Shane Maxwell. The pleasure's all mine, and no worries. She's a beauty, isn't she?" I turned back to the car and nodded. I bent to look inside.

"What is it?" I heard Edward and Ian groan while Shane laughed.

"Not into cars, I take it?" I smiled sheepishly and turned back to look inside again. "This is an Audi TT Coupe. It's 2.0 liter, four cylinders with direct injection. She comes with a dual circuit break system and Electronic Stabilization Program. A real nice ride."

"I don't understand anything you just told me, but I'd like to drive her if that'd be possible." Shane smiled and left to get the keys.

"Bell, you can't say stuff like that. If he knows you know nothin' about cars, he'll try to take you for all you're worth."

"God, Bells, you're such a girl," Ian said. "You should just let Edward and I handle this. It's a man's job." I probably would have been offended had that come from anyone other than Ian. Even though he was ten years younger, he was a fierce protector; he'd learned it from Dad. I understood he didn't mean it to sound sexist, he was just being protective and caring, in his own annoying way. I sometimes really regretted missing out on the last decade of his and Sammie's life.

"You'd let him?" I asked Edward. He looked a bit stunned.

"Of course not."

"Isn't that what you're here for? Keep me safe? I thought you were gonna help me through this."

"I was. I am. I will if you want me to." I smiled and nodded.

"I trust you." I laid my hand on his arm to emphasize my point. I did trust him, more than anyone else in a while. I'd never even trusted Mike as much as Edward. The thought of that good-for-nothing, low-life, asshole made my blood boil. There'd been no call, no text, no e-mail from him. If I'd been unsure before, this sealed it. I was completely and utterly done with him.

Shane came back whistling and handed me the key. Edward walked me to the other side, opened the door for me, and shut it once I was behind the wheel. Shane and Ian slid into the back and Edward sat in the passenger seat. I turned the key, and she purred to life.

I pulled out of the lot and merged onto the highway. I vaguely listened as Shane, Edward, and Ian talked cars. I wasn't interested in that. I just wanted to know how she felt, which was great. The ride was smooth, and I could tell she had power. Shane was a good salesman, pointing out small things he thought I'd like.

"Did you enjoy the drive?" he asked as I pulled back into the lot. I nodded. She was perfect. I knew I didn't have to look anymore.

"What do ya think?" Edward asked. I parked and turned to look at him. He was trying to seem impassive, but I could see the excitement in his eyes. I bit my bottom lip to hold in my giggle, but I couldn't stop my smile. I could also see Ian bouncing in the backseat.

"You like it," I said. It was cute, seeing his excitement even when this wasn't for him.

"It doesn't matter if I like it. You're the one that's gonna be drivin' it." I ran my hand over the steering wheel and dashboard. Before I realized it, Edward was opening my door and helping me out. He lowered his voice to a whisper when he spoke. "So, is this it, or do we keep lookin'?" Ian was looking on expectantly.

"I want her." He chuckled and smiled. I saw Ian fist pump and rolled my eyes. It was like they both reverted back to teenagers. Granted, Ian had a good excuse since he was still was, but Edward…I just shook my head.

"Let's go haggle then." I nodded. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and turned to Shane. "I'll tell ya up front, if you can't knock a few grand off the sticker, we won't even go inside." I felt myself tense. I wanted this car, and Edward was gonna ruin my chances before we even began. He must have felt me tense, because he started rubbing my arm.

"I think we can do that, depending on your down payment," Shane said.

"We were thinkin' $3,000-$4,000." Shane smiled.

"I do believe we're gonna be able to work something out."

Later that afternoon, I was sitting at the kitchen table with the Audi website pulled up on the laptop. Dad wanted to know all about it. What kind of gas mileage did it get? What was the safety rating? How did it handle inclement weather? At that point, I had to remind him I lived in Texas. What kind of price did I get? How was the financing? The questions were tiring and unending. Edward sat with me and answered all his questions patiently.

"Thank you for taking care of my little girl," Dad finally said to Edward.

"Dad!" I hissed.

"What?" I just rolled my eyes.

"He did really well," Ian spoke from where his head was stuck in the refrigerator. The boy never stopped eating. It was insane. "It also didn't hurt that Shane, he was the salesman, thought they were married. He thought Edward was his primary customer." I glared at Ian even though he couldn't see it. I heard Edward sputter and looked over to see his cheeks painted red.

"He drew his own conclusions. I was askin' most of the questions and haggled him down about five grand. It was an innocent mistake." I felt my heart sink a little.

"Well, I'm just glad you didn't let her get taken to the cleaners. I would have gone with you if Danny hadn't called with a hiccup in the paperwork."

"I know, Dad," I said and patted his hand. "I really appreciate you and Mom being here. I don't know how I would have done without y'all." I looked to Alice and Edward. "All of y'all." This would have been too big for just me, as I'd shown with my momentary lapse in judgement the other day. Dad stood and leaned over to kiss the crown of my head.

"We wouldn't be anywhere else, baby girl. Now, where's the lighter fluid. I want to get the steaks on the grill soon." He was really enjoying the clear skies that were so rare in Forks. He'd grilled almost every night since he'd been in town.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. Mornin! I hope y'all liked the chapter. Bella got a car; it's the one y'all voted on. Did ya like Ian? It's harder to write them together than I thought it'd be, but I'm likin it. **

**A few of y'all were saying that it looked like neither of them were acknowlegin their feelins for each other. I think they are a little at a time. The Mike issue was addressed a bit in this chapter. We at least know her plans. Now, he just has to show up. **

**Did ya like seein Bella and Edward together, actin like a normal couple...I mean friends. Just friends. For now.**

**Review, and I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter!**


	12. Ch 11

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: TwilightDramaTeach**

_**Chapter 11**_

**Edward's POV**

**April 30 (Thursday)**

Bell, Ali, and I had just finished an intense round of Chinese Checkers. Alice, of course, had come out victorious. She always did. She was currently putting the game away, Bell was writin' something on her napkin, and I was puttin' the chips and salsa away. Alice asked what we wanted to play next.

"We don't have time," Bell answered. "he's supposed to be here in ten minutes. Calm down, damn it. You're making _me_ antsy."

We were waitin' for her _date_ to arrive. I scoffed at the thought. I overheard her and Bell talkin' about it. I decided to stay and play a game and conveniently be here when he arrived. I didn't know the guy, hadn't even heard of him. Alice met him at the hospital yesterday when she had her checkup.

I went back to the dining room and helped Bell out of her chair. We went to the living room and sat on the couch. Alice flitted around the place cleanin' and straightenin' up. It would have been amusing had it not been because of some _guy_. I grumbled quietly at the thought.

"Ok, lighten up, big brother," Bell said with a small, amused smile. This was not amusing. "It's just a date. She's been on many. It'll be fine."

"I don't even know this guy. What if he's a psycho?" He could be. You never know. Bell just snorted. She opened her mouth to retort, but the doorbell ringin' interrupted us. Alice squealed then clamped her hand over her mouth. I rolled my eyes and stood. "I'll get it."

"Edward!" Alice hissed. I hurried to the door and pulled it open before she could stop me. I felt my blood run cold when I saw the man on the other side.

"What do you want?" I asked harshly.

"Edward!" I heard Alice admonish as she walked toward me. "Be ni-" She stopped when she saw him. "What the hell are you doing here, asshole?" He looked at us confusedly.

"Uhh…I'm here to see my girlfriend. She around?" Mike stood there lookin' as if he had no worries in the world.

"So, you care now?" I asked wonderin' if he was really going to act this way.

"Of course I care. She's my girlfriend. Listen, is Isabella here or not? Don't waste my time." Ali stepped forward but was interrupted before she could do or say anything.

"Why are you guys-" Bella's voice started but stopped once she came into view. She narrowed her eyes at Mike, and I smiled knowin' she wouldn't let him get away with anything. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He rolled his eyes.

"I'm here to see you, babes," he said as if it were obvious.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"India. You?" I wanted to deck the pompous bastard.

"Do you even know what happened?"

"I got Alice's messages. She said you were going to be okay. You are, right?" Bell took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You and I need to talk." She walked out the door and started to close it. I stopped her before it shut and looked at her questioningly. "It'll be fine. Go back inside. This won't take long."

She smiled at me, but I didn't feel reassured. I didn't want to leave her alone with him. He didn't deserve her. She pulled the door shut, and Ali pulled me towards the living room. I stopped in the hallway so the door was in view. I needed to be able to get to her quickly if she needed me. Ali looked at her watch and grabbed her jacket before standin' with me in the hallway.

"She can take care of herself," she said quietly. I nodded. I knew that, but I still wanted to be close. I needed to protect her. "She deserves better."

"Damn straight," I agreed. She deserved so much better.

"She should be loved, cherished." I felt my heart squeeze and nodded. She deserved all the love in the world. Alice's voice got quieter as she spoke. "There's someone out there that will love her." I nodded even though I didn't like the thought of someone else getting to do that for her. "You love her." Her voice was barely audible. I nodded. I did; more than anything. _Wait_. I looked over at Ali. She had a huge smile on her face.

"Ali, I-"

"I knew it. I could see it in your eyes. Oh! I'm so happy." She threw her arms around my shoulders and hugged tightly. Being caught off guard, it took me a moment before I responded by hugging her back. "This is great."

"No, it's not." She pulled back and looked at me curiously. "She's with _him_." I spat out the last word.

"Not for long."

"Ali, you don't-"

"Ow! Stop, Mike. That hurts!" I was headed for the door before she finished her warning. I was gonna kill the bastard. As I opened the door, I saw Mike being shoved against the house by a tall blonde man. I didn't have time to think about it though. Bell was trying to push herself off the ground.

"Bell, are you okay?" I asked as I reached to help her up.

"Yeah," she said then groaned.

"What is it? What hurts? What'd he do?" I could feel my anger rise.

"He just grabbed my arm. I lost my balance when…" she motioned to the unidentified man, "he pulled him off me." She walked over to where Mike was pinned against the wall. I was shocked but happy when she hauled back and slapped him. "Don't you ever come around me again, you piece of shit." The man let go of Mike and shoved him toward the parking lot. Mike straightened his shirt and shrugged.

"Your loss, Isabella," he said before walking away.

"Thank you…" Bell said to the man.

"Jasper," he answered and shook her hand. "Jasper Whitlock, and you're welcome. Are you okay?" She nodded but rubbed her side.

"Edward," Ali said as she stood next to him. "Jasper is my date." Well hell! Now I couldn't _not_ like him. I offered my hand in greeting.

"Edward Cullen," I said. "Her big brother." Ali cringed. "What are your intensions with my baby sister?" Ali glared, but it was Bell that answered.

"He's gonna wine, dine, then 69 her," she said with a mischievous smirk. "She ain't comin' home tonight by the way, so we don't have to hear it." Alice and Bell grinned at each other while I narrowed my eyes at them.

"No," Jasper rushed to say. "I just want to take her to dinner. I want to get to know her. I have no expectations of tonight." A likely answer.

"Oh, Edward. Let them start their evening. Everything will be fine. She'll come home, don't worry," Bell said exasperatedly. "Have fun, you two. I'll keep brother bear occupied." Alice looked at Bell hesitantly.

"Are you gonna be okay? We can do this another night."

"Hell no! You're going. It's all you've been able to talk about." Alice blushed, and _Jasper_ smiled. I glared, and he sobered up. "Now go. Have fun." Alice looked up at Jasper. The man towered over her. He stood a bit taller than my 6'2" frame. I squinted. I could still take him.

"I guess I'm ready if you are," she said shyly. I don't know why she was acting so weird.

"Of course. Our reservations are soon. We should head out."

Bell pulled me through the open door and shut it in my face. I walked to the dining room window and peeked out the curtain. Bell said something about not spyin', but I wasn't spyin'. I was just making sure he treated her right. If he didn't open the door for her, how could I trust him to treat her right the rest of the evnin'. I felt just a smidge better when he not only opened the door but offered his hand to help her in as well. I'd learned that from Dad. _Damn_.

When they pulled out of the parkin' lot in his Highlander Hybrid, I finally turned around and went to the living room. I got worried when I saw Bell strugglin' to sit while graspin' at her side. She was definitely a tough cookie, but I think the fall had hurt her more than she wanted to admit. I jogged over and helped her onto the couch.

"What hurts?" I asked my anxiety piquin'.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm fine." I could hear the strain in her voice.

"You're not fine." I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. I could hear the clip in my voice. Her health was not somethin' to mess around with. "Tell me."

"I'm just a little twingy. It's nothing, really." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Bella, you can't be so cavalier. I'm callin' Dad." She looked at me a bit stunned before she spoke.

"Don't call Carlisle. I'll be fine. I just need to rest. It's not that important." I stood from my crouch in front of her, grabbed my cell from the coffee table, and dialed his number.

"Don't argue with me. You're health is most important right now." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest while glarin' at me. I mock glared back and stuck my tongue out causin' her to crack a smile.

"Hello," Dad said.

"Hey, Dad. What are you up to?" I covered the phone. "Don't move. I'll be right back." Bell rolled her eyes. I walked to the kitchen to pour a glass of tea.

"Nothin' much. Your Momma and I are havin' dinner with Charlie and Sue. Ian took Sammie to CiCi's Pizza. What's up, Son?" I put the pitcher back in the refrigerator.

"I think you need to come check on Bell soon."

"What happened?" I could hear the urgency in his voice.

"Her son of a bitch boyfriend…well, ex-boyfriend," I smiled at the thought, "came over and started some crap. I wasn't outside, so I don't know what happened, but when I heard her tell him to stop because he was hurtin' her, I ran outside. She was on the ground. I think she might have twisted somethin' or aggravated somethin'." I realized I was pacin' the small kitchen and grabbed the edge of the counter to plant myself in place.

"Did you stop him?" I could hear the anger in his voice.

"No. Alice's date walked up to it and stopped him. Bell told him to leave and never come back."

"If he laid a finger on her, he should be arrested." Dad was always very adamant about his position on abuse. He'd met Momma while she was tryin' to leave her abusive boyfriend. He waited a year after that to ask her out, not wanting to rush her. He'd been a strong advocate for abuse victims, so I knew this would hit him, and Momma, personally. "We'll be there as soon as we can. Have her lie flat on her back. She can have one of the pain pills if it's necessary."

"Okay. We'll be here." I grabbed one of her pills from the bottle next to the sink and poured a glass of tea for her too. I took it back in the living room. "Take this." She grabbed the pill but started to protest.

"I'm fine. I don't-"

"You're clutchin' your side. You've had a crease between your eyebrows since we came in. Your breath hitches every time you move, and I can see the pain in your eyes." I pushed a wayward piece of hair behind her ear and looked at her pleadingly. "You're hurtin'. Take the pill." I couldn't stand to see her in pain. She grabbed the tea and swallowed the pill. "Now lie down flat on your back. Doctor's orders. Dad'll be here soon."

I helped her lie down and went to get a pillow from her room. I hadn't been in here since she had her nightmare. I shuddered in remembrance. I looked around taking stock of the place. It smelled like her, all strawberries and sunshine. And I'll deny it if you tell _anyone_ I said that. It was still pretty bare, but she'd placed some pictures around the room. The one on her dresser caught my eye. I looked closer and smiled. It was of the two of us at Catalina Island. I smiled again before headin' back to the living room.

Dad showed up 45 minutes later, along with Momma and the Swans. Everyone herded into the living room where Bell was almost dosin'. She woke with a start and flinched at the movement. Dad sat on the edge of the couch to examine her. Charlie started interrogatin' her about what happened with Mike. She answered his questions calmly. Her calmness made it almost seemed routine, expected.

"I'm gonna call the PD," Charlie finally said. "You need to file a report and have him arrested."

"No," Bell protested.

"Bells, he has to answer for what he did."

"Dad, I don't wanna do this. It was practically an accident." Charlie, Dad, Momma, and I all started to protest. "Okay, okay. Listen, I'm not filing a report or pressing charges. It's over, and I don't really want to ever think about him again. Got it?"

Ian caught my eye and motioned to the kitchen. I followed him out of the room. Once we were out of hearin' range, he turned on his heel. He had a murderous look on his face. It took him a few moments to speak.

"Do you know where this douche bag lives?" he asked icily. I would have smiled at his protectiveness, but I was right there with him.

"Your sister would kill us if she found out we did anything," I told him honestly.

"She doesn't have to know." I smiled at that one.

"Listen, I'd be right there by your side, but she would never forgive us. I'm sorry. She needs us here right now anyway. She should be our first priority. Don't you wanna be here in case she needs you?" He huffed looking exactly like his sister.

"Fine." He started to walk back to the living room, but turned back to me. "But if I ever see that fucker, I'll pay him back." With that, he turned and walked away. Yep. Definitely her brother.

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed. You can let out the breath you've been holdin. Mike is finally dealt with n' gone. Did ya like it? That Jasper was the one to 'save' her? Edward's there to take care of her though. And he saw the picture. I don't know about you, but it was a bit of an 'aww' moment for me.**

**Was Ian believeable? I could see a brother actin like that. Review, and let me know what ya think. Reviews have tapered off since the beginnin. Do y'all not enjoy the story anymore? Let me know, cause it's hard to write not knowin' if you enjoy.**


	13. Ch 12

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Beta: TwilightDramaTeach**

_**Chapter 12**_

**Alice's POV**

**May 2 (Saturday)**

I woke up feelin' a bit groggy, but as soon as my brain started workin', I smiled. Jasper was comin' to see my store today. I sighed just thinking his name. The man was a dream. I hadn't been able to stop thinkin' about him since our date. It was wonderful.

He'd been polite, charming, funny, and his presence calmed me. That had been different. I'd never felt that way around anyone before. I guess that's because he was the one. He was my other half, completed me. I knew it the moment he dropped me off and kissed my hand. Daddy would have done that.

I popped out of bed and got ready for the day before headin' to the kitchen to make coffee. Bella would be a bear without it. I found a note taped to the on/off switch. It was from Bella. She'd had to go to a breakfast meeting; I frowned when I finished readin' it. I wonder why she hadn't told me about it the night before. I was pulled from my thoughts when my cell phone rang.

"Hello," I answered.

"Hello, beautiful," I grinned widely at hearin' Jasper's voice. "I didn't wake you, did I? I knew you were gettin' up early to take your parents to Love Field, but had to take a guess at the time."

"No, but if you had, it'd be a great way to wake up." He chuckled, and my heart fluttered.

"The feeling's mutual. I was just calling because I have a meetin' with the student group I advise today. We're supposed to be done around 1:15 this afternoon. Is that a good time to come by?"

"I'm takin' lunch from 12:30-1:30 to meet Bella. Is 1:45 gonna be too late for ya?"

"1:45 is great. I'll grab something to eat before then." He paused for a moment. When he spoke next, his voice was soft. "I can't wait to see you." I tried to control my grin.

"Me too." I heard a commotion on his end of the line then he signed. "I gotta go, Alice. I'm sorry, but I'll see ya soon."

"No worries." I rolled my eyes at myself. I was startin' to sound like Bella. "Bye."

"See ya later." I waited until the call disconnected before I hung up as well. I looked at the clock. 5:23. Oh! I had to hurry.

I hugged Momma and Daddy tryin' not to cry. Every time they visited, or I visited them, it made it harder to see 'em go. I really missed them. Momma pulled back from the hug and smiled at me sadly as she wiped away a tear. I blinked rapidly so no more would fall. Daddy pulled me into his arms when he saw the exchange.

"Don't cry, Princess," he whispered. I hugged his waist tightly and nodded. He rubbed my back in the way only a daddy could. _God, I miss them already._ "We're not that far away. You can come see us anytime; you know that." I nodded again. He pulled back and kissed my forehead. Edward stepped forward to hug them then pulled me into his arms.

"Y'all have a safe flight," Edward said. Mom laid a hand on each of our arms.

"My babies," she whispered as a tear of her own escaped. Daddy chuckled and pulled her into his arms.

"Take care of your sister, Son," Daddy said which made me crack a smile. A voice came over the PA system announcing that a gate change had been made for their flight. "We gotta go. I'll call when we land. Hopefully we can make plans to see y'all soon." I nodded and hugged them again causing Daddy to laugh. "I love you, Princess."

"I love you too," I whispered. He then hugged Edward, echoing the sentiment. "I love you, Momma." She hugged me and repeated my words then they walked to security.

"Com' on, Ali," Edward said and pulled me towards the door. I got in my car and drove to work reminding myself that I'd see Jasper in a few hours. The thought made me smile.

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. My shipment that was supposed to arrive at nine didn't show up until eleven. Two mannequins broke while I was trying to dress them, and those things are _not_ cheap. I had one too many boxes of size small and one less box of size large than I ordered. Bella had to bring lunch to the shop and help me unpack while we ate because everything was so off schedule.

"Hey," I greeted her as she walked in with sandwiches from Jason's Deli. "How was the breakfast meeting, and why didn't you tell me about it beforehand?"

"Hi, best friend!" she said exaggeratedly. "How are you? I'm great! Thanks for asking."

"Hi best friend. How are you? Great? That's great. Why didn't you tell me about the breakfast meeting last night?" She rolled her eyes.

"I did tell you about it." I started to protest, but she cut me off as she started pullin' our food from the bag. "You may not remember, because you were busy raving about Jasper and his perfect smile, his perfect manners, his perfect hands, his perfect biceps, his perfect co-"

"Hey! I never said anything about his…that." She giggled.

"Maybe not, but you were thinking it." I took a seat and snatched my sandwich.

"I was not, but I'll admit to talking about him a little." She snorted.

"More than a little." I shrugged. "Ali, I'm happy for you." She laid her hand on top of mine. "I don't know what happened with Brad, but it was enough to scare you away from men for a long time. I'm really happy to see you happy again. I don't know what he did, but I'm here when you're ready to talk." She patted my hand then pulled back to eat again. I really did have the best friend in the whole wide world. She didn't deserve how I'd kept her in the dark. I took a deep breath.

"He wasn't very nice." She looked at me cautiously. "He never hit me, if that's what you're thinking. He just…made me feel stupid. He was always sayin' degrading things. He wasn't affectionate or loving. I thought if I tried harder, I could show him I was worthy."

"Oh, Ali. You're worthy of so much more than that man could ever give you." I nodded.

"I know, but it still hurt." I smiled sadly at her. "Jasper's coming over today." Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, really? Do I need to vacate the apartment?" She was such a perv sometimes. "I'm sure I could force Edward to find something to entertain me."

"First, Jasper's coming to the shop around 1:45. Second, you wouldn't have to _force_ Edward to do that, which is what I want to talk about now."

I heard the door chime sound and rose to greet the customer. She was just in to browse so I told her to let me know if I could help. By the time I got back to my lunch, Bella was finished. I could hear her unpackin' a box in the backroom. I grabbed my sandwich and stood in the doorway to the backroom so she couldn't run from the conversation. I was done waitin' for them to come around. I was gonna force the issue.

"What's up with you and my brother?" I asked.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about," she said never turning to look at me.

"You two have been spendin' an awful lotta time together." She snorted.

"He's been living at the apartment. How could we not spend a lot of time together?" She was avoiding.

"He took you car shoppin' and did the hagglin'. Even the salesman thought you were married. You can't fake that. He saw something there."

"Edward's just being kind. Nothin's goin' on." I could hear it in her voice; she was getting frustrated.

"That's bull, and you know it. Wherever you are, he's not far off. He takes care of you, more than just a friend would. My god, the man caters to your every need. He's always findin' ways to touch you. He's enchanted with you." She snorted again. I needed to talk to her about how unattractive that was. I digress though.

"You're transferring your puppy eyes for Jasper to us. You're seeing things that ain't there." She finished hanging the clothes from one box and moved to another. I walked over to her and placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

"I know what I'm seein'. There's somethin' there."

"No, there's not. I figured out a long time ago he didn't want me. I pushed those feelings away and moved on. I won't…I can't get my hopes up. I can't go back to feeling that way, wanting someone who doesn't want me. He's way out of my league. Did you ever see Amelie?" She shook my head and started hanging another box of merchandise.

Ugh! She was so frustrating sometimes. I went back to the store to check on my customer. She browsed for a few more minutes before purchasing two items. I gave her my card, which now had information about my custom eveningwear project and thanked her for visiting. As she was leaving, I smirked when Edward came in. He kissed my cheek in greeting.

"How ya doin'?" he asked.

"I'm fine, other than the shipment arriving late and being wrong. I feel so far behind," I told him truthfully.

"Let me help." He started walking towards the backroom, and I followed. "What do you think you're doing?" I saw him looking at Bella disapprovingly. She was trying to lift a box, and while it wasn't heavy, it was bulky and she hadn't been released by the doctor to do any liftin'. He would know. He'd taken her to her follow up appointment two days ago. How she couldn't see his feelings, I didn't know.

"I'm helpin'," Bella said as if it were obvious. Edward strode forward and took the box from her hands before placin' it on the table.

"Emmett didn't release you to do any form of liftin'. Do you really wanna hurt yourself?" Bella narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not a fucking invalid. I can help."

"I know you're not an invalid, but you're healing. Do you wanna have a set back?"

"I'm not going to hurt myself, and I'm not going to be a damn deadweight. You can help, or you can leave." He huffed.

"I'm gonna help, but I'm gonna make sure you don't hurt yourself too." He cupped her neck and rubbed his thumb over her jaw. "I don't want you to be in pain any longer than ya have to. You'll just have to deal with that." Bella huffed.

"Fine. Pick the damn boxes up."

"Yes, ma'am." That got her to smile. I was goin' to help with the boxes, but I heard the door chime again. I excused myself, not that they were payin' attention, and went back to the front of the store.

"Jasper!" I said with a smile. He looked good in his jeans and SMU polo. It was the most casual I'd seen him, other than the first time in the hospital. He smiled widely and kissed my hand in greeting.

"Hello Alice," he said. "It's so good to see you."

"It is. Well, good to see you, not me. I mean, I'm glad to see you too." He chuckled at my babblin'. "How was your meeting? What's the group you advise?"

"I advise the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. It's an honor society for high-achieving freshman and sophomores. The meeting went well. We're preparing for the Regional Summit in five weeks. They were trying to finalize schedules and stuff. They didn't really need me, but I'm there for support."

"Of course they need you, or there wouldn't be an advisor." He smiled and looked around. "Welcome to my shop."

"I can't believe we never talked about your shop being a lingerie store." I smiled. We hadn't talked about our jobs all that much. I mentioned owning a store with my own designs, and he mentioned he taught at SMU. I didn't even know what he taught. We were too busy talking about each other as a person. "It's very…nice?" I giggled.

"I know. It's a bit awkward sometimes." He shook his head.

"You should never feel awkward about your work, just pride." I beamed at the compliment.

"Ow! Hey!" I heard Edward say laughingly. Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"Edward and Bella are here helpin'. My shipment came in late, and it was wrong. Today's just been one of those bad days."

"Well then maybe I can make it better. Can I take you to dinner tonight?" I nodded enthusiastically. I didn't want to hide how I really felt. He felt it too; I knew he did. He wouldn't mind. "What time do you get off work? What time do you want me to pick you up?"

"Mindi's comin' in to work this afternoon and close? How about you pick me up at…6:30?"

"6:30 works great. In the meantime, let me help y'all. What do you need me to do?"

For the next few hours, we hung and rearranged the merchandise. It was nice to see Jasper getting along with my best friend and brother, that is, when Edward wasn't playing the big brother card too hard. At 4:30, Jasper said he had to get going. I was apprehensive and excited when he and Edward made plans to catch a Rough Riders game. I wanted them to get along. They were going to be seeing a lot of each other from here on out.

* * *

**AN: This is so horribly unbetaed, even by me, and I'm in a hurry, so I'm sorry. I'm also sorry for the short responses last week. I haven't been that sick in a long time. :(**

**I hope you liked the chapter. I'm not completely okay with it. I wanted to hear from Ali and get a glimpse of Edward and Bella from a mind that's not in denial. **

**Please let me know what you think. I'll send a sneak peek to those taht review. **


	14. CH 13

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 13**_

**Bella's POV**

**May 5 (Tuesday)**

I grabbed my phone and dialed Edward's number quickly, clumsy with the speed. I knew he was at a shoot in Fort Worth, but this was important. I hung up without leaving a message when I got his voicemail and called again. He answered on the fourth ring. He sounded panicked and worried.

"Bell, what is it?" he said. I could hear music in the background and someone yelling his name. "Five minutes. I'll be there in five minutes. Are you okay, Bell?"

"Yeah," I said. Words were escaping me now.

"What is it, then? Are you sure you're okay?" I nodded then slapped my forehead when I realized he couldn't see me.

"Um…it's our article."

"What about it? Didn't it come out today?"

"Yeah, but it's not in D Magazine."

"What do you mean?" I sat back on the couch and put the laptop beside me.

"Ben sent me a link to the article. It's in Time."

"What?" I could hear the surprise in his voice. I'd suspected he knew, but this told me he didn't. "Bell, that's amazing! That's wonderful news!"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you happy?" I could hear the worry creep up again.

"Yeah. I'm still a bit stunned. Congratulations to you, too. Your photos are in Time." He laughed.

"Thank you. We'll have to go out and celebrate. I should be done in 'bout an hour. I can be home in time for dinner. We'll go wherever you want."

"Actually…" I hesitated.

"What is it? You can tell me." I swallowed thickly hoping he wouldn't think bad of me.

"There's, uh, there's a meeting tonight." He rushed to reassure me.

"If you have to go to a meeting, we can celebrate after, or another day."

"Well, it's not exactly a meeting I _have_ to go to. I want to go."

"Oookay." He drew out the word telling me he didn't understand.

"It's an AA meeting." I needed to go. I'd been having a hard time for the past week. I knew it'd give me the courage and strength to get over this hump.

"We'll celebrate another day then." I heard someone yell his name again. "Just a minute," he growled at the person. "Do you want some company? I can go with you, or I could just drive you and pick you up. You don't have to do this alone." His last sentence was so soft. The thought of him seeing me so weak made me nervous.

"L-let me think about it."

"Sure." I heard someone yell for him a third time.

"You should go. I'm sorry for bothering you. I just wanted you to know."

"No, Bell, you can bother me anytime. I'm really proud of you. I knew you'd do great." I smiled at his praise.

"Thank you, and ditto. I'll call you later when I decide about the meeting."

"Call anytime. Bye."

I hung up and looked at the clock. It was 3:15. I didn't realize it was that far into the afternoon. I pulled the laptop back to me, and started on my follow up article. Ben had said Time was interested in getting a story about a specific person affected by the tornado. I offered to do some interviewing, find a person that would make a great humanitarian piece. That's not what had been decided though. Ben had done a lot more talking with the people at Time than I realized. _I_ was going to be the subject of the article. I tried to argue, but Ben wouldn't hear of it. I was startled out of my thoughts when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Ali apologized.

"No worries," I told her. "I was just in my own world. How was the shop?"

"Good. I finally got all the merchandise rearranged. Jasper stopped by on his lunch break to help." I smiled at that. They had it bad for each other.

"How was that?"

"It was nice. We talked about college. Did you know he went to Stanford University? Then he moved to Columbia to teach. He came down here to SMU five years ago." She went to the kitchen and poured a glass of tea before plopping on the couch next to me.

"He's been all over the place. What brought him here?" She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"He says he wanted to be closer to family. His sister is married to Emmett, the doctor from when we were in the hospital."

"Small world." I guess it wasn't too small. That's how they'd met after all, at the hospital.

"I think there's more to it. I think it has to do with his son." I whipped around to look at her.

"Wait. What? Son? Jasper has a kid? Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"He hasn't told me yet. When I was in the hospital, he came in my room looking for Emmett. He had a little boy in his arms. He was crying and whimpering, 'Daddy.' Jasper didn't really see me at the time. He looked too worried and upset. I think the little boy was hurt.

"Jasper hasn't said anything about him yet. I don't want to say anything. He'll tell me when he's comfortable." I nodded thoughtfully.

"You're okay with that? He's a package deal." She nodded decisively.

"I don't mind. I can't wait to meet him. He was so cute, even though he was hurt and sad. I just wanted to hug him to me and rock him until he felt better. I almost cried for him." Ali always had a sensitive heart. "What are you working on?"

"My next article. They've requested a follow up."

"Bella! That's amazing!" Alice squealed after I told her about Time and me as the subject of the follow up. I should have known that would be her reaction. She didn't understand moderation. If I were being honest though, she made my heart smile with her enthusiasm. Her gushing was interrupted by a knock at the door. She looked at me curiously. "Expectin' someone?" She stood up and walked to the door; I followed after grabbing my crutches.

"I am, actually." She pulled the door open. As soon as it was wide enough for a person to slip through, Peter stepped in quickly and pulled me into a gentle but firm hug.

"Bella, thank God you're okay," he said, and I could hear the relief in his voice.

"We were so worried about you," I heard Charlotte say and felt her wrap her arms around my waist. I hugged them back.

"I'm okay. I'm lucky. I'm not too badly injured, mainly just bruised and sore." They finally pulled back from the hug. Charlotte left a hand on my arm.

"Guys, this is my best friend and current roommate, Alice." They turned to shake her hand. "Alice, this is Charlotte and Peter. Peter's my uh…Peter's my sponsor. Charlotte too by extension I guess, since she's his wife."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Alice said genuinely with a smile. "Come on in and have a seat. Can I get y'all something to drink?"

"Water would be great. Thank you," Charlotte said with a smile. Alice flitted off to the kitchen. I motioned for them to follow and took them into the living room. We all sat on the couch, and Peter, true to form, didn't pussyfoot around.

"What's goin' on? Did you have a drink?" he asked softly. He always knew how to pull information out of me, but he was never pushy or accusatory. His tone told me it was only concern.

"Almost. God, you don't know how fucking close I was." I scrubbed my hand over my face. Alice brought two bottles of water for them then sat in the armchair. "It was three days after I'd been released from the hospital. I was hurting; I was scared; I couldn't see past everything that was going wrong. My house was gone, my truck was destroyed, and I just couldn't handle it." I shook my head remembering. Peter reached over and took my hand in his.

"But why did you turn to the booze?"

"I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't talk to anyone," I threw an apologetic look at Ali, "because I didn't want them to see how damn weak I truly was. I tried calling you, but your phone was disconnected. It just got to be too much. I knew…" I closed my eyes as the familiar burn returned. I could taste it, remember how numbing it could be. "I knew it would make it go away."

We spent the next thirty minutes talking. Peter knew how to give strength with his words. I hoped someday I'd be as strong as him. After that half hour, Peter asked the one question I knew he would but prayed he'd forget. Alice chimed in to defend me.

"She gave us the bottle, and we poured it down the sink," she said. "I also got rid of the bottle of wine I had. I wouldn't have ever brought it in the house had I known about Bella's past with alcohol." Peter's brows furrowed.

"Okay, we'll talk about the fact your best friend didn't know that you are an alcoholic in a minute, but I want you to answer my question first. Is there alcohol in the apartment, Bella?" When I hesitated again, he spoke softly. "Edward was right, Bella. You don't have to do this alone. You have people that love and care about you. You have people that not only want to see you succeed, but want to do everything in their power to see you succeed.

"This is one of those times. We want you to be able to do this, and you know you can't do that if there's alcohol in here that's going to tempt you. Now, I'm going to ask again. Is there alcohol in the apartment?" I nodded. "Alright, show me where." He stood and pulled a plastic bag from his back pocket.

"So, Alice, what do you do?" Charlotte asked as I stood up.

"I'm a fashion designer," Alice said as I walked into the kitchen, Peter right behind me.

I opened the storage drawer below the oven and pulled out an overturned cake pan. I handed the 50 mL bottle of Jack Daniels to him. I opened one of the cabinets, took down the chocolate cake mix box, and pulled the bottle of tequila from inside. I couldn't even look him in the eye when I handed it over. I also retrieved the bottles from the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator, the bottle from inside one of the rarely used drinking glasses, and the bottle from inside my box of cereal.

"Is that all in here?" I nodded in response. "Is there anything in the living room?" I shook my head. "Dining room?" _No._ "Coat closet?" _No._ "Bedroom?" My hesitation was my answer. "Lead the way." I walked into my room and reached in my sock drawer. I handed him two bottles. I retrieved the bottle that was under my mattress and the one that was behind the stereo. "Is that all?" I nodded. "Lying to me isn't going to help you, Bella. Be honest. Is that all?" I let out a long breath and nodded. I heard the front door open and close as Peter stopped me just outside my room.

"Things are going to be okay, Bella," Peter assured me. "This was a step forward. You did the right thing, even if it doesn't feel like it." He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes. I felt so emotionally weary after the talk and dealing with this cleanse.

"Bell?" I pulled back and looked over at Edward. He was looking at Peter curiously. I thought I saw anger flash through his eyes, but it was gone so quickly. I had to be seeing things.

"Hey Edward," I said with a smile. I hadn't realized how the time flew. He had flowers in one hand and a bottle in the other. "Whatcha got there?"

"Um." He held out the flowers. "For you. I wanted to get you somethin' as a congrats for your article. Since it was so last minute that I found out, I got you flowers. Stargazer lilies are your favorite, right?" I took the flowers with a small smile and nodded. I didn't remember telling him that, but that was Edward. He seemed to just know stuff about me.

"Thank you. They're beautiful." I looked over at Peter. "Peter, this is Edward. Edward, this is Peter." Edward held his hand out tentatively. He didn't seem to want anything to do with Peter. I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"Hello," Edward said coldly.

"You should know better than to bring alcohol here," Peter said in a reprimand.

"Hey, I wouldn't do anything to tempt or hurt Bell." He held the bottle out so we could see the label. "It's sparkling grape juice, not that it's any of your business. I wanted to celebrate with Bell." I smiled at the gesture. He was so sweet.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a bit tense. It's been a hard hour."

"Peter's my AA sponsor," I told Edward so he'd know that Peter wasn't really accusing him. "He's um…he's getting the alcohol out of the apartment." I watched as his grew confused. He, just like the rest, thought the whiskey was all there was.

"I, uh, I bought more alcohol than just the whiskey. I bought the small bottles and hid them around the apartment." I could feel my cheeks heat. He was going to be angry.

"Bell, why didn't you tell me? I asked you if there was anything else." I couldn't look at him; I felt so guilty.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight. I've been having a hard time. I know I shouldn't have lied. I was just…" I couldn't continue because I was getting choked up. I felt a tear slid down my cheek.

"Hey, hey." I heard him set the bottle down before he gripped my cheeks lightly. He gently forced me to look at him. "No need to cry. Things are gonna get better. We're gonna make this better. Calling…your sponsor was a big step. _You_ made the decision. _You_ wanted help, and_ you_ sought it out. You're also goin' to the meeting tonight. That's another big step. You should be proud. I am." He wiped the tears off my cheek and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back. His lopsided grin was contagious.

"Thank you." I turned back to Peter, but he wasn't there.

"He went to the living room." I sniffled and wiped at my nose.

"Come on. I want you to meet his wife." He let out a breath and the tension in the room dissipated.

"Wife?" I nodded. "Good. That's good." I looked at him curiously. "Come on. Let's not keep 'em waitin'."

Things seemed to go much smoother after that. Maybe they'd just gotten off on the wrong foot. Charlotte and Alice got along great, which didn't surprise me. They were both enthusiastic about life in general. I was happy to see them click. Edward and Peter were talking easily and quickly moved to the topic of baseball, leaving me in the dust.

It didn't matter that my stepfather was some big name baseball guy. I didn't care for the sport or him. I was more of a football girl. Maybe I should care more. He was the reason I was able to buy my house and have a chunk of change put back for emergencies, but I just couldn't bring myself to like him. Twenty minutes into the conversation, the phone rang. Ali got up to answer it while Charlotte and I talked.

"So, do y'all have any big plans for the summer?" I asked as I took a seat on the couch next to her.

"Not really. We wanted to stay local, save some money. Kids are expensive," she said with a laugh. I looked over sharply.

"Kids? Are you pregnant?" She smiled sheepishly and nodded.

"Holy hell!" I pulled her into a hug. Both the guys looked at us with a smile, Edward's amused and Peter's proud. I reached over to hug Peter. "I can't believe you knocked her up! You've been terrified of the idea of being a dad." He shrugged.

"The idea's not so daunting anymore."

"BB, it's Ian," I heard Ali say from behind. I took the phone and walked toward the kitchen.

"Hey Bub," I said happily.

"Hey, Bells," he said somewhat subdued. "How are you?"

"I'm good, actually. How about yourself? Ready for finals?" I sat at the bar gingerly.

"Of course. I want to do some more studying for Physics, but I feel confident about the others. So, graduation's the 30th; are you going to be able to make it?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm flying in on Thursday; hope you have big plans to entertain me." He just laughed. "Have you made a decision about college?" He let out a heavy breath.

"No. I'm still waiting to hear back from a few."

"Where have ya been accepted?"

"U Dub, Northwestern, and Florida State. I'm waiting to hear from two more."

"Wow. Are you leaning toward anything yet?"

"I want to hear back from the others first. Dad's worried about money. He hasn't said anything outright, but I can tell. I'm waiting to see who offers the best Financial Aid packet before making a final decision." Ian was intelligent and he had a good head on his shoulders. He was Dad's through and through that way.

"It'll work itself out." I shifted a bit to ease the dull ache in my side.

"I hope so." I heard everyone laugh in the living room. "I didn't realize you had company. I'll let you go. I just wanted to make sure you were coming."

"I'll be there with bells and whistles." He groaned which made me laugh. "Tell everyone I say hi. Kay?"

"Will do. Love ya, sis."

"Love ya too, Bub. Bye." I hung up the phone and started to slide to the floor. I must have turned at just the wrong angle, because a pain shot through my body. I gasped. Before I even had time to react, Edward was next to me, steadying me. "Thanks."

"Ya alright?" he said anxiously.

"Yeah. Just some residual pain. I'm okay." He furrowed his brows and didn't seem convinced. "Really, Edward, I'm okay."

"Do you need me to get you anything?" I smiled and shook my head. "I was just coming to make sure everything was okay, and to say we probably needed to head out."

"Everything's great. Ian graduates at the end of the month and wanted to make sure I would be there."

"Are you?" I nodded. He started leading me to the living room. "Has he decided about college?"

"No. He's waiting to hear back from a few. He's very intelligent. He's weighing his options, looking at Financial Aid packets." Edward nodded.

"Ya sound like ya miss 'im." I smiled sadly.

"I do. I wish I'd had time to get to know him better. He was only seven when I left."

"Maybe you'll get that chance some day." I shrugged. That time had passed unfortunately. I just had to deal with it.

* * *

**AN: Hi everyone. I hope you had a nice weekend. So, Bella's not having as easy a time as she puts on. The meeting should help. I know people who go that have been sober for twenty years. It's a daily struggle, not comething you fix then forget. **

**I think we've made a little bita progress in this chapter what with Bell callin' Edward and him tellin' her to interrupt anytime, him bringing flowers and sparkling grape juice, and his obvious possessiveness with Peter around. hehe **

**And we get to hear from Ian! College decisions, college decisions. Gotta be tough. I only applied to one place, so I assume it's a tough decision for some. At least he's got a good head on his shoulders, thinking about Financial Aid packets, etc. ****Poor Bell, thinkin' she never got a chance to connect with him. I wonder if Edward's right; I wonder if she'll have a chance in the future...**

**Review, and let me know what you think. I'll send a sneak peek of the next chapter to those that do.**

**OH! P.S. Almost forgot; I wrote an outtake for my story 'How It's Gotta Be.' I've had major writer's block over the past month and was doing a freewrite with an old story, and the outtake popped outta my head. Hop over and check it out if you liked that story. **

**P.S.S. The chapters are getting longer as requested. See, I'm tryin'. :)**


	15. Ch 14

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 14**_

**Alice's POV**

**May 11 (Monday)**

I stood from the chair at the table and helped Rosalie carry the dishes to the kitchen. She'd been a bit cool towards me but slowly was warmin' up. I didn't blame her for bein' weary. She just didn't want her 'baby brother' to end up hurt again. I giggled at the nickname. Jasper hated that she called him that since she was only thirteen minutes older.

Jasper had invited me to dinner with his son, Parker, his sister, brother-in-law, their three kids. They were a fun and affectionate family. Seein' them together reminded me of my parents. They were always findin' ways to touch each other, to hold their kids. I smiled just lookin' at the little ones. They were beautiful, always smilin', and, thankfully, warmed to me quickly evidenced by Trinity lying on my chest, half-asleep.

I'd learned a lot about Jasper's family over the past hour. Emmett and Rose had met at Johns Hopkins in their second to last years, Emmett in Med School, Rosalie in Nursing School. "I'd never seen a med student so happy," Rosalie had said. That's what drew her to him in the first place she recalled.

They married the next year, and moved here to Rowlett. Both worked at Baylor Medical Center, Emmett a Cardiologist and Rosalie a NICU nurse. They were a power couple if I'd ever seen one. They waited three years to start their family. When Lillian was born, Rosalie quit work to stay at home with her. Fourteen months later, Tristan and Trinity were born.

"How old are they exactly?" I asked while we ate fresh fruit for dessert. I was thankful it was easy to eat with one hand since my other was occupied with Trinity.

"Trinity and Tristan will be one next Wednesday," Emmett said proudly. "Lily, how old are you?"

"Two!" the miniature-Rosalie said excitedly. We all laughed. I rocked Trinity lightly and whispered to her when she whimpered because my chest vibrated.

"It's okay, baby girl," I whispered and kissed the crown of her head. She smelled like lavender. I looked over to see Jasper with a small smile. I smiled back.

Jasper took Trinity from me so I could help with dishes. Emmett, Jasper, and all four kids were in the living room. We'd just finished the dishes and were drying our hands when she looked at me with a cold glare. I wanted to say I wasn't afraid of her, but I'd be lyin'. She was intimidating.

"Listen here, Missy," she started, and my back bristled at the term. "I know my brother's good lookin', and he's always been a softie. I understand that you're attracted to him. He's not the only one in this equation though. Parker is the most important thing to him.

"I won't stand by and watch him be seduced by some bimbo that's just lookin' for a good time. You need to decide quick if you're willin' to be a mother. I don't mean in the future or a mother to your own children. You need to decide if you can be a mother to someone else's kid and soon. If you can't do that, you best walk out that door _right now_. He's already gotten close to you, and Parker likes you. I won't let you break their hearts down the line." I wanted to be offended that she thought so little of me, but I couldn't blame her; she didn't even know me. I placed the dishtowel on the counter and looked at her tryin' to appear as if she didn't scare me. I don't think I succeeded.

"I understand your fear," I started. "I know about Maria, Lucy, and Tia." She looked shocked at my admission. "I can't promise Jasper and I are gonna be together forever. I _can _promise that I've thought long and hard about what's between us, and by us I mean Parker too. I would never do anything to hurt either of them intentionally. I care for 'em both, deeply.

"I don't expect you to believe me." I shook my head. Winning her over was gonna be hard. "You've seen women hurt them firsthand, but know this. I have known about Parker since before our first date. I didn't walk into this blind; I wasn't caught by surprise. I considered this before acceptin' the dinner invite." I ran my hand through my hair and cursed Edward for rubbin' off on me. "I feel drawn to them, Rosalie, and I can't explain it.

"I need to be near them, be part of their lives. It hurts when I'm away, and I feel soothed when they're near. I want to hear about Parker's day when he's picked up from daycare. I wanna help him get ready for bed, read to him, hug him. I wanna hear about Jasper's day, cook for him, take care of him, lo-" I stopped my rant abruptly when I realized what I'd almost said. I turned back to Rosalie. I hadn't realized I'd been pacin'. Her face was blank, and I worried I'd pissed her off. Until she smiled.

"I'm onto you, Alice Cullen," she said in a sing-song voice. I didn't know what to say. "You love him." I felt my cheeks heat. "It's okay. I know most people would say it's too soon, but I think you're exactly what my brother needs…and Parker." I smiled and was shocked when she pulled me into a hug. I let out a relieved breath. "You okay?" I nodded as she pulled back and smiled apologetically.

"You're very intimidatin'." She threw her head back and laughed.

**Edward's POV**

**May 13 (Thursday)**

"_Dinner _with his _family_?" I asked and couldn't hide the twinge of incredulity.

"Edward," Bell admonished. "She's a grown woman. If she wants to have dinner with her boyfriend's family, she can have dinner with her boyfriend's family."

"She ain't a grown woman. She's my baby sister," I grumbled. She didn't move this quickly with Brad.

"She _is_ a grown woman, and the sooner you realize that, the easier this'll get." I fell back onto the hotel bed with a sigh. I didn't wanna realize she'd grown up. If I did, I'd have to concede to the fact I couldn't protect her anymore, and that was my job. "Edward, it's okay. Jasper's a good guy. He came over for dinner Wednesday night. I got to know him a bit, and I think he's nice."

"Nice? What the hell does that even _mean_?" Nice was so _vague. _He could have nice hair, nice manners, or nice teeth. Wait. Why did Bell think he was nice? Did _she_ think he was nice lookin'? Nice to talk to? _Damnit._ Why did I even follow this line of thought? It was just gonna depress me.

"He treated her with respect first-"

"How?" Respect could mean a lotta things. She sighed exasperatedly.

"He held her chair for her. He refilled her glass whenever she needed. He listened to everything she said, and not just listened, he cared. There were other things, things I've seen you do for Esme and Ali." Honestly, that didn't make me feel too much better. Anybody could mimic. "He also talked to me. He didn't treat me as a third wheel." Why did he talk to her? Was he just usin' Ali to get to Bell? That bastard! I'd kill 'im myself. I rolled my eyes at my thoughts. _When did you become so melodramatic?_ It was a long moment before I said anything.

"Okay, maybe I can give 'im a chance." I heard her laugh and smiled at the sound. I could just picture her smile, her lips parted, the top lip a little fuller than the bottom. My heart ached just a bit. I felt sad not bein' able to be there.

This trip to Colorado, even though only three nights, had come at an inconvenient time. It'd been a week since we learned about and met Peter. Bell had let me drive her to the meeting, but that was as far as I got. I tried to convince her to let me go in with 'em, but she was too embarrassed. I understood, but I'd hoped she'd trust me enough to let me in.

_I pulled into the church parkin' lot and pulled beside Peter and Charlotte. I turned the car off and reached for my door handle. Before I even opened the door, I felt her small, warm hand rest on my forearm. I turned back to see her with a terrified expression. She'd gone a bit pale, and her hand trembled. I took her hand in mine._

"_Ya alright, Bell?" I asked softly. She started to talk three times before takin' a deep breath._

"_Can you…I can't…Do you mind…" I gave 'er an encouragin' look._

"_You can ask me anything. What is it?"_

"_Do you mind waiting out here?" I masked my features hopin' I didn't show my disappointment. "It's not that I don't trust you. I do trust you, more than I've trusted anyone in a long time. _

"_I just don't want you to see me like that. I'm not perfect, not near it at all. I'm not a stable, put together person right now. You already know I'm an alcoholic, but knowing and seeing are two different things. I don't want you to see me worse than ya already have." I cupped her cheek and rubbed soft circles with my thumb._

"_Bell, this doesn't change anything between us. I don't see you differently, and I definitely don't think less of ya." One side of her mouth quirked into a smile._

"_I know, but I don't think I can handle it. Tonight's been rough enough as it is." I smiled and pulled back to pat her hand._

"_No problem. I'll be here when you're done." _

_I hated watchin' her walk away with Peter's arm around her shoulders. I knew he wasn't a threat, but I wanted to be the one supportin' her. I coulda left and come back like she suggested, but I wanted to be here in case she needed me. I wanted her to need me. _

_That was _the longest_ hour of my life. I listened to music, I mentally planned my upcoming shoot, and I texted with Momma for a while. I couldn't concentrate on one thing for too long. My mind kept driftin' to Bell and what she was facin' in there. I knew no one would do her any harm, but I also knew that the demons in your mind were the most difficult to deal with. I was happy when she emerged from the door. Then I grew worried when I saw Charlotte's little frame supportin' a good portion of her weight._

_Unable to stay still, I got outta the jeep and jogged over to them. I grabbed her cheeks lightly and pulled her head up to look 'er in the eyes. They were pink and puffy. She looked tired and worn, but the pain and weight she'd been carryin' since the tornado was gone._

"_Hey," I said softly with a smile. She smiled back and sniffled. I pushed her hair behind her ear. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my neck huggin' me tight. I heard Charlotte walk away to give us privacy. I wrapped my arms around her petite waist and held her close. I closed my eyes enjoyin' the feel of her so close._

"_Thank you," she whispered. My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. I pulled back enough to look at her in question._

"_What for?"_

"_Just…" she shook her head, "thank you."_

"_You're welcome." She leaned forward again to kiss my cheek. That one move made the hour wait _completely _worth it. "How 'bout I get you home. Ya look like you could use a good night's sleep." _

"_You have no idea."_

We were finally movin' forward. She's was trustin' me more, talkin' to me, smilin' for me. We'd hung out a few times on our own, and things had gone smoothly. We had a great time, there were no awkward moments, and I really thought I was gettin' somewhere. Then National Geographic had called wantin' me to do a shoot in Colorado. It was last minute, but I couldn't turn it down. It was a great opportunity to do some pro bono work for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo just outside of Colorado Springs.

I knew it'd be fun, but I didn't know how much I'd miss Dallas. _Alright, alright._ I didn't know how much I'd miss Bell. I thought it'd be a quick jaunt. In n' out and back to Texas. The actual shoot was enjoyable. I got to see some great animals and took some beautiful shots, but once those were over…the day drug by. I couldn't wait to get on the plane back.

"So, are you sure ya don't mind pickin' me up tomorrow?" I asked as I stood to retrieve the menu from the table.

"For the last time, Edward, I don't mind," she said, but I could hear the smile in her voice. She'd assured me every night so far she didn't mind. I'd called her last night, and the pattern stuck. We didn't necessarily talk about anything deep. It was a smooth, almost effortless, conversation.

"It's gonna be a bit early." I could almost hear her roll 'er eyes.

"8:00 is not early. It'll be fine. Promise." Bell liked to sleep late when she could so I knew this would be cuttin' into her plans.

"Do you have other plans tomorrow?" I really hoped this worked.

"Nope. I've deemed it a writing free day."

"Do you wanna hang out when I get back? There's somewhere I wanna take ya."

"Sure." It was an immediate response. I hadn't realized my palms were sweaty until I ran my hands through my hair. "I can call Alice and Jasper, see if they can make it if you want. I could even call Emmett and Rose, but I bet Emmett's gotta work." _Perfect opening._

"No. I don't really wanna go on a double date; not yet at least." The silence that met me made me wonder if I'd just made an ass of myself. Maybe she wasn't into me. Maybe I'd read into things that weren't there. Maybe she-

"D-date?"

"Yeah." I tried to sound like this wasn't a big deal to me, but it really, _really _was. "If you're okay with that." I hoped she couldn't hear the insecurity in my voice.

"More than okay." I could feel a massive grin break out on my face. "So where are you taking me? You've gotta top any first date I've had. No pressure, ya know." _And there's the Bell I love._

"What was your first date like?" We'd never talked about her past relationships. She'd analyzed mine though, with the help of Ali of course.

"My _first_ first date? Let's see. Jacob, you have to consider, was almost a year younger than me. I drove, since he couldn't, and we went cliff diving." I think my eyes bugged outta my head.

"Cliff diving? I hope you're not looking for that kind of thrill, because I like my feet planted firmly on the ground." She giggled.

"No. I'm not much of a thrill seeker _because_ of that trip."

"What happened?"

"I got scared and hesitated just before I jumped. I wasn't far enough away from the cliff. When I hit the water, the current threw me into the rocks. It knocked me out, and I woke up in the hospital. I lucked out though; I only had a broken wrist." I was speechless, didn't know how to respond. Then I felt angry. How could anyone let her get hurt? He should have protected her. "I can feel you getting angry. Let it go. We were young and stupid." I took a deep breath.

"I'm fine," I said nonchalantly. She giggled, and the tension in my shoulders seeped out. I looked over at the clock. It was already 11:43pm. "It's past midnight for you, Bell. Get some sleep. I want you well rested for tomorrow."

"For our date." Hearing her acknowledge it made it that much more real. "I'm not that-" She was cut off midsentence by a yawn. "Tired." We both chuckled. "Alright. I'm off the sleep."

"Sweet dreams."

"God, you're such a sap." Her giggle told me she was kidding. "Night, Edward."

"Bye." I waited until she hung up before turning my phone off as well. I wanted to feel embarrassed about the giant grin on my face, but I was too excited to care. I had a date. With Bella Swan. _Don't tell anyone I fist pumped._

* * *

**AN: Hello all. Yesterday was my birthday so I didn't get to do any editing of this before posting. Sorry. **

**First, we got to hear from Ali. Was it fun watchin' her try to win over Rosalie. AND Rosalie totally called her out. hehe :) Then we get to hear from Edward, and LOTS was covered. We got to see Edward getting protective, and while it wasn't over Bell (yet), who doesn't like protective Edward (and a little bit of sulky Edward-he just wants to protect his baby sister)? Then we get to see Bell's insecurity at the meeting and how Edward comforts her. *Swoon* Then the DATE INVITATION! It's finally here. Was it unexpected? Was it cute? Was it stupid? What did ya think? Got any guesses as to where they'll go on their first date? How's Ali gonna react? Oh, it's getting fun. :)**

**Review, and I'll send you a sneak peek of the next chapter. **


	16. Ch 15

__

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 15**_

**Bella's POV**

**May 14 (Thursday)**

I drove towards Gate B and checked the clock on the dashboard. He had landed twenty minutes ago. I hoped he didn't have to wait too long for me. I parked on the third level of the garage, just as he asked, and waited. I'd offered to meet him near baggage claim, but he refused. He said he didn't want to worry me too much. _Idiot_.

"Hello, best friend," I answered when I saw Ali was calling.

"Hey, BB," she said cheerily. "How are ya?"

"I'm good."

"What's that noise?" It took a minute to figure out what she was referring to.

"Oh! Airplanes. I'm at the airport picking up your brother."

"I talked to 'im when he landed. He said he had a ride, but I didn't realize it was you."

"Yep." I nodded even though she couldn't see me.

"Why are ya actin' so weird?"

"I'm not acting weird." My voice had risen in pitch. I cringed at the realization.

"Yes, you are." She sounded indignant. I didn't know what to say. "What are y'all gonna do? Wanna come over and hang out?" I swear I started sweatin' like a whore in church. What if she wasn't happy about this? What if she was mad? "BB, what's goin' on?" I smiled at the whiney tone. I must have been quiet for too long.

"Nothing?"

"Nothin'? Are you not sure?" Where was Edward? He needed to come rescue me. "BB!"

"Sorry." Her harsh tone had brought me out of my musings.

"Are you…" I waited for the inevitable and scrambled for something to say. "Are y'all goin' somewhere?" I hesitated.

"Yeah."

"Are y'all goin' somewhere together?"

"I've already answered the damn question."

"Don't you get testy with me, Missy." I rolled my eyes at her 'mom tone' as I called it. "Are y'all goin' somewhere together on a date?" The silence was all the answer she needed. I pulled the phone away from my ear when her squeal killed my eardrums.

"Damnit, Ai! Bring it down a few decibels."

"Well, it's about freakin' time." I giggled. The girl just couldn't cuss. Then I stopped when I realized what she said.

"Wait. What do you mean?"

"Oh, please. You two have had your heads in the sand. Y'all were meant to be together. I've been waitin' for this since the tornado, years if I'm bein' honest."

"So." I could hear the nervousness in my voice. "You're not mad?"

"Well of course I'm mad." My heart sank. "I should have heard about this as soon as it was planned. _And_ I should have been able to help you get ready. Oh my God! What are you wearin'?" _Typical Alice._

"Lucky jeans, my magenta peasant top, the turquoise ballet flats we got at DSW that one Black Friday, and the matching jacket." I knew that'd be one of her first questions.

"Jacket? It's May, and it's Texas."

"We're gonna be inside. I'll need it." Edward had sent a text saying to dress in clothes appropriate for inside a cooler building.

"Oh. And?"

"And what?" She actually huffed.

"And what else? Or are ya goin' commando?" She giggled.

"I'm not a slut. Do you think I'll be putting out on the first date?"

"BB!" I chuckled. "You're not a slut, and even if you put out a little, it wouldn't be so bad. Y'all've known each other for years, and ya might as well've been datin' for the last few months. If Mike hadn't been in the picture, this woulda been a done deal."

"Alice Janelle Cullen!"

"Don't middle name me, Bella Marie. It's okay to have a little fun." I sighed and decided to ignore her.

"I'm wearing the midnight blue demi-cup and cheekies from your Twilight line."

"Good choice! Did ya know I designed that with you in mind?"

"Really? I'm flattered." And I was. Maybe it should have been weird, but it wasn't. I jumped when I heard a tap on the window. I looked over to see a crooked smile. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. "I gotta go. Call ya later." She squealed again.

"I'll be at home waitin' for ya. Tell him I said hi, I love him, and I'm glad he's back safe." She rushed to get her sentence out before I hung up on her.

"Will do. Bye." I tossed the phone on the dashboard and opened the door. Edward pulled me from the seat and into his arms. He lifted me off the ground in a tight, warm hug.

"You don't know how good it is to see you," Edward whispered into my ear. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and sighed. I almost asked him to pinch me. I'd wanted this for so long; it almost didn't seem real. He lowered me slowly and pulled back slightly when my tiptoes rested on the ground. "Hi." I smiled.

"Hi." His smile grew, and then he released me.

"Thank you for comin' to get me." I nodded, grabbed his lens case, and walked to the trunk. He followed with his duffle bag.

"How was the flight?"

"Not bad. There was a little boy in the seat next to me. He was fascinated that I was a photographer. He asked question after question after question. So I was entertained." He plucked the keys from my hands, shut the trunk, and led me towards the passenger side. "It was tiring, and his parents kept apologizing, but he was funny. It didn't bother me."

"I'm glad." He opened the door and held out his hand to help me in. "What are you doing?"

"I'm drivin'." I started to protest, but he cut me off. "I'm takin' you on a date, so I'm gonna drive. Let me do this."

"You're so damn chauvinistic." He tweaked my nose.

"I happen to think of it as gentlemanly. My Momma and Daddy taught me right." I melted whenever that twang came out. I took his hand and got in. He shut the door and made his way around.

"I forgot to tell you. Ali says hi, she loves you, and she's glad you're back safe." He smirked.

"She knows. Doesn't she?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know my sister, and I know you. She's perceptive, and you can't lie to save your life." That was true, even though I didn't want to admit it.

"She forced it out of me!" I defended. He chuckled. "You know your sister. She's fuckin' scary when she needs to be." He didn't need to know I gave in so easily. He laughed heartily as he backed out of the parking spot.

"I'm sure she was." His voice tone told me I was kidding no one. He quieted down eventually. "She mad?"

"Yes." He looked at me sharply. "She's mad she didn't get to dress me." His face relaxed.

"I'm not. I think you look great."

"Thank you. You look del-" I stopped when I caught myself. "very nice too." He quirked an eyebrow at me, but I just smiled. He chuckled then turned his attention back to the road as he pulled into traffic. "Where are you taking me?"

"Now why would I tell you that? It wouldn't be a surprise."

"I don't care if it's a surprise."

"_I_ care. It'll be fun. Promise. The best first date you ever had." Of that I had no doubt. "Didjaeat yet?" I shook my head. "Then I'm takin' you to breakfast first."

I didn't realize I was hungry until he mentioned it. He asked if I wanted anything in particular. Waffles. I hadn't had waffles in a while. We ate at Waffle House where I got the sweet cream waffles and Edward ordered All-Star Special breakfast. How the man could eat all that food, I had no idea. Well, not all the food. I took a few bits of his eggs.

After I ate more than I should have, _but seriously, who _could_ stop before the plate was empty,_ we got back on the road. I was confused when he turned off 35 to Woodall Rodgers Freeway. Then my confusion turned to excitement when I realized where we were going.

"Really?" I asked with a huge smile on my face.

"Good surprise?" he asked with his crooked grin. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Great surprise. I don't know how I've lived here so long and not been."

**Edward's POV**

I pulled into the parkin' lot of the Dallas World Aquarium and Zoological Gardens. I had mulled over what to do for our first date for a long time. I wanted it to be fun, unique, and _us_, but I also wanted it to be light. I wasn't goin' for romantic, sweep 'er off 'er feet. There'd be plenty of time for that…I hoped. So far, her reaction was even better than I'd anticipated. She looked genuinely excited.

I stopped her when she reached for the door. I got out and jogged to her side, openin' the door and helpin' her out. I walked to the back of the car and got my confirmation I'd printed last night from my duffle bag. I woulda kept it with me, but Bell was sneaky. She would've found it and ruined the surprise. I also grabbed my Canon EOS Rebel XSi digital SLR. I wanted somethin' that would be lightweight to tote around.

I chuckled as I tried to keep up with her brisk walk. When we got to the door, she was buzzin' with excitement. I steered her towards the line and was happy to see there was only one family ahead of us. Once they paid and made their way through, I led her to the desk with my hand on her lower back. I felt her shiver.

"Cold?" I asked concerned. She looked a bit dazed then shook her head.

"Welcome to Dallas World Aquarium and Zoological Gardens," the girl behind to counter greeted us with a smile.

"Thank you." I handed her my confirmation paper. "I should have tickets waitin' for us." She looked over the confirmation, typed something into the computer, and smiled back at us.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen." She handed over our portion of the stub once it was printed along with a map and informational booklet. "There's a schedule of today's talks and feedings on page two, some information about the exhibits on page three, and information on our conservation efforts on page seven. If you have any questions, you can find anyone in an Aquarium polo. We're open until 5:00pm, and if you'd like to stay with us for lunch there are three options throughout the Aquarium. Do you have any questions before you get started?" I shook my head. "Then enjoy your time at the Aquarium."

"Thank you." I led Bell away from the desk. "What do ya wanna see first?"

"Everything," she answered. I laughed.

"Ya gotta pick something to try first." She opened the booklet and took a cursory glance.

"Can we see the birds in Mundo Maya first?"

"Sure."

As we walked through the exhibit, I snapped pictures of the hummingbirds, euphonias, and tanagers. Bell was a joy to watch. I'd been to South America and photographed the tanagers before, but seein' her excitement over 'em was better than any first-hand photo shoot. The only thing better would be seein' her seein' 'em down in South America. Maybe she'd like to go with me someday.

"Oh Edward!" I heard her say excitedly. She was motioning me over with enthusiasm. I walked over to see what she was lookin' at. "Isn't it beautiful?" I looked over to see a multi-colored Tanager. It _was_ a beautiful bird. It's head and underside were a striking aqua color. His body, wings, and tail were a bright combination of yellow, cerulean blue, and light green. Truly a beautiful bird. "It doesn't even seem real."

"It's gorgeous," I agreed. I snapped a picture of it then stepped back to take another. This one included Bell in the frame. She had a small, serene smile on her face, her mouth slightly parted in awe, and her eyes twinkled. When she heard the snap, she turned to me with a pout. I snapped that one too. "Like I said; gorgeous." She smiled and grabbed my hand to pull me along the path. When she moved to let go, I held tighter. I looked at her through my periphery to see a small smile.

We meandered through the exhibit for a while longer. I checked my watch to see that it was 10:00am. I looked through the booklet to see what shows were startin' soon. The first show of the day was the Otters. It didn't start for half an hour, but if we wanted to see it, we'd need to head that way. I asked her if she was interested. When she bounced in place at the idea, I took that as a yes. I tugged her hand and led her towards the Orinoco exhibit.

It was surprisingly crowded for a Friday. I figured most of the kids would be in school, but I wondered if there was some sorta holiday 'cause the place was crawlin' with middle schoolers. The place was packed ten minutes before the show began. There was little standin' room, but I was happy with that. I found a spot, tugged Bell to stand in front of me, and pulled her back against my chest. I leaned in to whisper in her ear as I wrapped my arms around her.

"This okay?" She nodded and leaned further into me.

The show started and the announcer welcomed some middle school for their field trip. That explained all the little kids. The show was great, but Bell was even more fun to watch. She was awed and mesmerized by the little creatures. She had her arms restin' over mine and squeezed whenever she saw something she particularly liked. I heard a lot of, "Wow"s and "Did you see that?"s.

Once the show was over, we made our way through the rest of the Orinoco exhibit. Her, and my, favorite part of the exhibit was the section of frogs. Bell was intrigued and read everything she could about 'em. I liked them for their color. It was so vibrant and looked great on film. I hadn't realized I was so distracted until I looked up and couldn't find Bell. I called her name, but she didn't answer. I walked a little up the path and found her. I got concerned when I saw her bendin' over with a little girl's arms wrapped around her neck cryin'.

"Bell?" I asked quietly.

"It'll be okay, sweetie," she said to the little girl, she stood with her in her arms, and patted her back softly. "We'll find your parents." She mouthed she was sorry.

"It's okay. Let's find someone that works here." We didn't wanna go far in case her family came lookin' for her. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Jenny," she said as she sniffled.

"We're gonna find your parents, Jenny. I promise." She nodded and laid her head on Bell's shoulder. We didn't make it five steps before we heard someone callin' her name.

"I think your Mommy's here, Jenny," Bell said and turned to where the voice was comin' from. A man, woman, and little boy a few years older than Jenny came up the path. Bell pointed in that direction, and Jenny followed her finger.

"Mommy!" Jenny exclaimed. The woman took her from Bell's arms and hugged her tightly.

"Don't wander off like that, Jenny. I got scared when I couldn't find you," the woman said, but I could hear the worry in her voice. Bell stepped back and took my hand. She started pullin' me away. "Thank you both." Bell smiled.

"You're welcome," she said. "We were gonna try to find an employee, but we didn't wanna get too far from this spot in case you came looking."

"Well, thank you for looking after her." Bell nodded and pulled me away.

"That was very nice of ya," I said. She shrugged.

"I can only imagine how scary this place could be to someone that little," she said then leaned into my side. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

We spent the rest of our time there walkin' through exhibits, ate lunch at the Jungle Café, and lookin' through the gift shop. I ended up buyin' Bell a stuffed otter. It was around 2:00 pm when she decided she was ready to leave. I led her to the car and helped her inside. I covered my mouth to hide a yawn after I turned the car on. Bell reached over and tapped my nose when I closed my eyes. The action caused me to jerk back since I wasn't expectin' it. She laughed.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"I stole your yawn," she said. I looked at her strangely. "Did you finish your yawn?" I shook my head. "See. I stole it. It's something my dad used to do with me, Sammy, and Ian."

"You're weird." She mock glared at me.

"Fuck you." I laughed. It just didn't sound insultin' or threatenin' comin' from her. "I like being weird."

"I like ya just the way you are."

"Good, 'cause I'm not changing." I smiled. I loved that about her. She really wasn't changin', for anyone. "As much as I hate to say this, I think it's time for you to head home. You've been yawning for over an hour. I'm sure the flight made you tired, and you've got film to develop after that." I hated to admit it, but she was right.

"Kay."

I reluctantly pulled outta the parkin' lot and headed north. Once I was into traffic, I reached over and took her hand. I pulled our hands to rest on my thigh. I heard her sigh and smiled. I don't know if she knew she did it, but I was damn glad she did. It never hurt to get some reassurance that you weren't totally off your game. I tried to drive slow, extend our time, but before I liked, I was pullin' into my driveway. She got out before I could stop her. She stood at the back of the car waitin'.

"What are ya doin'?" I asked.

"Walking you to your door," she said as if it were obvious. She bit her bottom lip to contain her smile. I don't think she realized how sexy that little move was.

"You-"

"Don't argue with me, Caveman." I scowled at her, but my smile broke through. I grabbed my duffle, and she grabbed my lens case. I unlocked the door and sat the bags just in the foyer.

"Do you wanna come in?"

"I want to, but I shouldn't. You need to rest then work." Knowing she wanted to made me feel light. She shifted her weight to one side and held her hands in front of her. "I had a wonderful time."

"Best first date? Better than cliff divin'?" She threw her head back and laughed, her long, lean neck on display.

"Better than cliff diving." She leaned forward just a little. I wanted to kiss her, had wanted to for so long. It was just the first date though. I didn't want her to think I expected anything. I couldn't stop myself as my eyes drifted to her mouth. Her tongue darted out and licked her full lips. I looked back at her eyes, her slightly droopy eyes, trained on my own mouth. "Kiss me," she whispered. I wasn't gonna argue.

I leaned forward and gently pressed my lips to hers. I groaned at the feel of her lips _finally_ on mine. I would have been embarrassed but figured, what the hell, when I heard her moan at the contact too. I kissed her slowly, savoring the slightly sweet taste of her. I reached up to cup her cheeks and run my thumbs over her silky smooth skin. She shivered when I ran them down the slender column of her neck causin' me to smile.

I worked diligently not to pull her flush against me and deepen the kiss. There'd be a time and place for that, and after the first date on my front porch was not it. I pulled back reluctantly but couldn't resist peckin' her lips one more time. I opened my eyes to see her still with her eyes closed. She opened 'em slowly, blinked a few times, and then took a sharp breath. I scrunched my eyebrows.

"Sorry," she said. "Forgot to breathe." I smiled. _Hell yeah. I did that._ She bit her bottom lip as her cheeks tinged pink.

"Are you blushin'?" I asked in surprise. She didn't get embarrassed about anything. She scrunched her face in protest.

"No." I smiled wider.

"Isabella Marie Swan. You were blushin'." She rolled her eyes.

"Don't be an asshole." I laughed and, unable to resist, pulled her to me for another kiss.

"I think I should head in now." She sighed but nodded. "I'll call ya later."

"Kay."

I finally dropped my hands from her neck and walked inside. When I shut the door, I walked to the kitchen to look out the window. She got in the car and touched her lips with a small smile. I mighta fist pumped. I waited until she drove away before grabbin' my bag and headed to the laundry room. Sometimes I really hated laundry. I had just finished sortin' when my phone buzzed. I pulled it from my pocket to see a text from Bell.

_BEST date ever._

* * *

**AN: Unbeated. Go figure. I'm sorry I'm so late...okay, not really. I've been on a cruise ship for the last week. We left early last Sunday, and I didn't have time to post a note to forwarn you about my absense. **

**First date: Hope you liked. I thought it was slightly corney, but that's how I like this Edward. They held hands and kissed. That was nice, right?**

**REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE READ. Could y'all review and be 100% completely, totally honest with me? Please? Do you like the story so far?**

**The reason I ask is because I don't. After Gradual Healing (if you read it you'll understand), I needed a break from the heavy stuff. I wanted to do the fluffy thing. Now that I've done it, I've come to the realization that I have to have the drama, the angst, the heavy stuff. It's who I am. Maybe I should have made this a short story, cause I'm getting so bored and...frustrated with it now, and I'm afraid it's coming across in the story. **

**How would y'all feel if I took a break from the current Whirlwind and reworked it? I don't think it'd be more than a month and a half, because the ideas have been buzzing in my head since about chapter four. I kinda feel like I'll be abandoning the current story, but I can really work some more with their backgrounds if I rework it, and many of y'all have been interested in their backgrounds. There was no plan for that in the current rendition. I guess what I'm asking if for y'all to review and let me know how ya feel about it? I don't want to disappoint by creating a long wait, but I just don't think I can do this much longer. (haha. I feel like I just talked myself into a rewrite.)**


	17. Ch 16

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 16**_

**Bella's POV**

**May 20 (Wednesday)**

I grabbed my purse, swiped on some lip-gloss, grabbed the food, and hurried to the door. The boy could be so damn impatient sometimes. I flung the door open to stop his incessant knocking. He smiled that crooked grin causing all my irritation to melt away. I had a fuckhot boyfriend. _Wow! Boyfriend._ _He was mine._ I squealed a little internally. He cocked his head to the side.

"What's with the devilish smile?" he asked in amusement and took the bag from my hand. I shrugged.

"Just thinking about how you're all mine," I said nonchalantly. His grin grew wider. He stepped forward and snaked his arms around my waist. I rested my hands on his chest.

"Yours, huh?" I smiled and nodded. He leaned forward and kissed me softly. "I think I like the sound of that."

"You better. I don't share, and I'll make sure any skank that comes near you knows that." He pressed his lips to mine and pulled my bottom lip between his then nibbled. I slid my hand around his neck and pulled him closer. I ran the tip of my tongue over his lips and pulled back when he groaned. "Weren't you just yelling that I was making us late?"

"Well, then you got all possessive. You have no idea how much of a turn on that is." I pecked him one last time before pulling away.

"I have a bit of one. Let's go." He shook his head as if clearing it then took my hand and led me to the jeep.

We were going to Emmett and Rosalie's house for a BBQ. The twins had turned one on Monday, and they'd invited us to celebrate with them and a few of their closest friends. Ali said it was about time her whole family, present and future, got together. I'd chosen not to share that comment with Edward. He just wasn't ready for it yet. He could be a real baby when it came to his sister.

It didn't take us too long to get to Roulette. It helped that this was being held on a weekday and started at three. We were spending the whole afternoon there. Last time I'd spoken to Rose, about twenty people had been invited. It was going to be interesting.

We rode in a comfortable silence most of the time, but chatted about our day. When traffic wasn't horrible, he held my hand. I felt like a fucking teenager every time he did it causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach…and lower.

We turned into the circle drive behind Jasper's car. There were tons of vehicles lining the street meaning there were _a lot _of people here. It made me a little bit nervous. I didn't particularly like being in big crowds. Before I knew it, Edward had turned off the jeep and was opening my door. He held his hand out for me as usual. I'd never tire of his gentlemanly ways. I took hold and slid out of my seat to the ground.

"Whoa," Edward said as he steadied me when I stumbled. "Ya alright?" I nodded while looking back at the house. "Beautiful house." I heard him shut the door.

"Yeah," I agreed. It was. I was two stories, small compared to the rest of the neighborhood but still plenty big. The French doors were set on a gorgeous wraparound porch with bay windows. The lawn was well taken care of with a small flowerbed lining the front part of the porch. It was definitely something I could get used to.

"Hey," Edward said softly as he pulled my by the chin to look at him. He used his thumb to pull my bottom lip from my teeth. "What's up?" I shook my head. "Nuh uh. What's goin' on? What's got ya tryin' to chew off your lip? It didn't do anything to you." I smiled. He was so cheesy.

"Just being stupid." I shook my head as I said it.

"Tell me." I shrugged. "Don't make me force it outta ya." I smirked.

"And just what the hell do ya expect to do that's gonna _force_ me to talk?" He groaned and pressed his lips to mine but pulled away seconds later.

"You don't know how sexy you sound when you get fiesty. I can hear a Texas twang."

He leaned forward again and kissed me. Bracing against the jeep, he used his other hand to slid up my body and cup my cheek before sliding into my hair. Kissing Edward Cullen was heaven. He tasted better than chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. His body against mine felt better than the best message I'd ever had, even the one on that cruise Ali and I took two years ago. And let me tell ya, that was a-fucking-mazing.

All coherent thought left me when he gently tugged at my chin signaling me to open for him. It wasn't demanding, and I knew he wouldn't force me to do anything. I was all about setting the pace and choosing the speed of things, but sometimes, just sometimes, I wanted a man to take control. I shivered at the thought and moaned softly when his tongue swept against mine insistently. I pushed back wanting to feel every inch of him.

His hand slid down my body to rest on my hip leaving a tingly, hot trail in its wake. He slipped his thumb under my shirt and rubbed circles on my oversensitive skin. I could feel it all the way between my thighs. I pushed up on my tiptoes to get closer to him and had to use a hand on his chest to steady myself. I used my other hand and wrapped my fingers in the oh-so-soft hair at the nape of his neck. He grunted when I tugged and pulled me closer, kissed me harder. Unfortunately, he pulled away not long after. I guess we did need to breathe at some point. He laid his forehead against mine.

"What had ya so worried?" His voice was rough and husky. _So damn sexy._

"I don't like big crowds," I said as I tried to get my breathing under control. I opened my eyes to see him smiling triumphantly. It took me a minute to realize he'd manipulated me with a kiss into telling what I'd been trying to suppress. I pushed him back, and he stumbled while laughing.

"You jackass!" I tried to hold back my grin.

"Oh, come on, baby." He walked back with his hands held up in surrender. I crossed my arms over my chest. He framed my face, holding me gently. He was impossible to stay mad at. "I'll be with you the whole time. It'll be alright. Kay?"

"Hey you two lovebirds!" I turned to see Ali waving excitedly from the front door causing me to effectively shake Edward's hands from my face. Jasper stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her bouncing. "Come on!" I started to walk away, but Edward pulled me back against his chest.

"I'm sorry," he said. I could hear the concern in his voice. I turned and kissed him softly.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," I told him honestly. "I promise. Now, grab the presents." He opened the back door to grab the bag. When we made our way to the door, he slid his free hand in my back pocket. "Hey now, this is a kid's party. Behave." He smiled sheepishly before sliding his arm around my waist instead.

"I'm so glad y'all are here," Ali said once we'd reached the top of the steps. "I'm so excited for y'all to meet Parker." She grabbed my hand and dragged me inside. I looked back to see Edward and Jasper shaking hands. Edward looked at me and shrugged in response to my silent plea for help before turning back to Jasper. He had slowly warmed up to Jasper and was pleasantly surprised to find that they had a lot in common. Since Jasper and Emmett were family, it was a natural progression that they all hung out. Rosalie had been a great addition to the group as well. She could be as brash and straightforward as I could, but sometimes I could see the shyness and innocence like Ali.

"Oh Bella, you're here!" Rose said from her station at the sink where she was mixing tea.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked as I looked around. Most everything seemed to be in place.

"Actually yes, if you're sure you don't mind. You could fill the plastic cups with ice. I don't want anyone to hold up the line too long."

"No problem." I started on my task, and with Ali's help, it didn't take long.

"How's the traffic article coming along?"

"Slow. It's such a heavy topic that I'm having trouble keeping momentum." I'd been working on a human trafficking story for about a week and recently found someone to interview that had been a victim of it. I had a meeting set up with her next week.

"I bet you'll struggle with that till it's through." I nodded.

"You're probably right." Ali reached over and rubbed my back. I smiled in appreciate.

"Miss Alice," I heard a little voice say to my left. I looked around Ali, saw the most adorable little boy, and knew immediately who he was. He was the spitting image of his father but with the most brilliant violet eyes. "I can't find Dad, and I'm thirsty." She turned around and pulled him into her side.

"Then let's get you something to drink," Ali said and turned so they both were facing the table filled with cups. "Which one do ya want?" He scrunched his little eyebrows causing me to smile at his intense concentration. He finally pointed enthusiastically.

"That one, please." She grabbed the cup and a Sharpie to write his name on it. "Don't forget the squiggle." I watched as Ali freehanded a cute design.

"What to drink?"

"Aunt Rosie's tea." He cupped his hand to his mouth like he was telling a secret but didn't lower his voice. "Dad never makes it right." We all tried to stifle our giggles but couldn't hide them completely. He smiled proudly then looked at me curiously.

"I want you to meet someone," Ali said as she tickled his side. He squirmed a bit and giggled but nodded. She turned to me. "This is Bella. She's my bestest friend in the whole wide world." He looked at her curiously.

"Like Freddy?" She nodded. He turned back to me and held out his hand. I took it in mine. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Bella. I'm Parker Jamison Whitlock." I think I swooned.

"It's nice to meet you, Parker. I'm Isabella Marie Swan."

"Like the bird at the park Dad and Miss Alice took me to?" I nodded. "Wow!" I chuckled.

"I have something for you. Wanna come with me to get it?" I knew this was a party for the twins' first birthday, but I also knew some kids felt left out when it wasn't about them. Not to mention, I wanted Parker to like me. He looked at Alice questioningly. When she nodded, he took her hand and looked at me expectantly. I looked at Ali in amusement and led them to the entryway. Edward had set the gift by the door. I handed it to him. He handed his cup to Ali and took the gift.

"But it's not my party," he said confusedly. I squatted down to his level.

"No, it's not, but Miss Alice told me you were a special guy, and special people get gifts sometimes just because." That was all his six-year-old mind needed to hear. He tore into the paper.

"Whooooooooa!" He had an awed look on his face. "This is for me?" I nodded when he looked up. "Thank you." He stepped forward and kissed my cheek. I was a bit stunned but melted none the less. He was gonna be a heartbreaker when he got older.

"You're very welcome." He looked up at Ali.

"Can I go play with my new toy?"

"Sure. Why don't you set up in the den that way no one walks on it? No painting until you get home though." He nodded and turned on his heel. I looked up to see Jasper and Edward watching with amused smiles.

"Dad! Look what Miss Bella gave me." He held it up proudly. Jasper took the "My First Airplane Kit" and looked it over.

"That's great, Parker. Did you tell her 'thank you?'" He nodded as he took the toy back and held it close.

"Miss Alice said I can play in the big room." Jasper nodded and patted his head as he rushed past. I stood back up.

"That was very thoughtful, Bella. Thank you," Jasper said with a grateful smile.

"It was my pleasure. You have a very charming and handsome son," I said truthfully. Edward scowled playfully.

"The little guy's got game," he said. "I saw that kiss. I think you swooned, Miss Swan." I smiled sheepishly as the others laughed.

"I know there's paint," I said ignoring Edward's comment, "but the kit is fairly simple. I'm sure he's a smart little man with you as a dad, but it doesn't hurt to start learning early."

"I think it's a wonderful gift," Jasper said as he walked over to hug me. "Thank you. I believe you've got a fan."

"You or Parker?" Ali asked and giggled as he pulled away. Edward came and pulled me into his arms.

"I feel like I've got competition from a six-year-old," he said with a mock pout. I kissed him softly.

"Oh, honey, there's nothing to fret over," I assured him. He smiled at that. "Those violet eyes are no competition." He furrowed his brows.

"My eyes are green." I couldn't contain my grin.

"Exactly." I could hear Rosalie's laugh from the kitchen.

...

It was about 9:00 PM by the time everyone left and we started to clean up. It wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting. True to his word, Edward never left my side. It also helped that we apparently had mutual friends with Emmett and Rose. Ben and Angela were at the party. Angela and Rose had worked in the NICU together before Rose decided to stay home with the kids. It was nice to introduce Edward as my boyfriend, even if it was just to "the boss" and his wife.

Also to Edward's surprise, his friend Riley was at the party. Riley had brought his wife Bree and their daughter Joanna. Riley and Edward were both photographers, Riley for the Dallas Morning News. He'd done a series of shoots at the hospital where he and Emmett had met. They'd become friends after setting Joanna and Lillian up for a play date.

Riley and Edward had become friends four years prior when both had lived in Paris. Riley was trying his hand at architectural photography but said it just wasn't for him. They had, however, forged a friendship and had "a bloody good time," as Riley put it. I got to hear all about their pub crawls and swimming in the Seine…illegally. Conversation was great, the food was wonderful, and the evening had gone off with a hitch. Well for most everyone. Only one hitch for me, but I guess it turned out alright.

"_Oh!" Riley exclaimed through his laughter. "Remember that one time on the train tour. We'd imbibed entirely too much at this point. It's probably midnight, and I hear thumping coming from your cabin next door. I couldn't figure it out so I opened my door to the hallway."_

"_Riley," Edward said in almost a warning tone when he saw me coming. _

"_Next thing I know, I see you being shoved into the hallway naked."_

"_Honey," Bree said placing a hand on his arm as she looked at me apologetically. I slowed my approach. _

"_I mean buck ass naked. Amelie had thrown you out, and you had to sleep in my cabin." He was laughing at the memory. "She was so pissed. I bet you were cut off-" he was abruptly silenced when Bree clamped a hand over his mouth. He turned to her confused until he saw me over her shoulder. His face fell, and his eyes turned apologetic._

_It was odd, hearing about his life before me. The uncomfortable twinge in my chest felt weighted. I turned to walk back in the house. I heard Edward's quiet expletive and Riley's sincere apology as I made my way to the den. Parker had already gone to sleep upstairs with Lillian and Joanna so I had the room to myself. I sat on the couch after placing the drinks on a side table. It took just a few minutes for Edward to find me. He walked over and took a cautious seat beside me._

"_Bell," he said hesitantly. I looked at him and took his hand in mine. _

"_Don't be like that," I chastised. "We're fine." I watched as he relaxed minutely. "I'm not mad, I'm not sad, and I definitely don't want you to hide your past from me. She was important to you, and therefore she's important to me too, because she helped shape you into who you are now." _

"_Then why'd you run?" He leaned back and pulled me into his side._

"_Because I was…" I took a deep breath and barked out a small laugh. "Because I was jealous. It's a foreign emotion. Kinda stunned me." _

"_You have absolutely nothing to be jealous of. She's history. She's not the one I want. She's not the one I've fallen in love with." I was nodding so he knew I understood but stopped abruptly when I realized what he's said. My eyes snapped to his and widened. My surprise was reflected in his eyes. "Umm…well…I-I wasn't planning on saying it like that. I swear I was gonna make it more romantic than that. It just sorta-" My lips cut off his little rant. I pulled back and smiled._

"_Don't. It was perfect." His crooked grin bloomed. "And I love you, too." His eyes sparkled at the declaration._

We'd completed the clean up by 10:00 PM. Jasper went upstairs to retrieve Parker, and Rose walked us to the door. She thanked us the whole time for helping her clean. I told her she could repay me by doing the same when I had my housewarming party after the rebuild was complete.

"Thank you for getting Lillian a gift too," she said as she hugged me. "She probably took it to bed with her." We all laughed. "Call me later this week, and we'll make plans to go shopping for the house."

"Me too!" Ali said excitedly.

"Will do. Bye, everyone." Edward said goodbye as well then helped me into the jeep. A bit over halfway to Ali's, I tried to hide a yawn. I obviously didn't succeed when I heard him chuckle.

"Why are you yawnin'?" he said amusedly. "You're not the 30-year-old; you're still young."

"I'm less than a year and a half from it," I pointed out. "I think I'm allowed. Plus, old man, 30 really isn't that bad. Isn't it the new 20?" He laughed aloud.

"I have no desire to be 20 again. That was a decade ago, and I'd like to keep the past in the past." I yawned again and leaned over so my head rested on his shoulder.

"So, Ian's graduation is in a few weeks. Are you excited?" I nodded, but with my head sideways it looked awkward for sure.

"Next week. I am," I answered truthfully. "I know it hasn't been that long since I've see them, but I miss 'em. Plus, it's been…probably…almost a year since I've been back to Forks. It'll be interesting to see the place again." He turned and kissed my head. I sighed in contentment and slightly cringed. I was turning into one of those fucking lovesick girls. "Actually, I was wondering if you might wanna go with me." The question just sort of popped out. I didn't regret it, but I didn't even think about it. I wanted him with me.

"Next week, you say?" He slid his arm around my shoulders.

"Yep." He let out a regretful sigh.

"I'd love to go with you, sweetheart, but I gotta go to New Zealand for a shoot." I turned to look at him directly.

"New Zealand?" He nodded; my heart sank a bit. "How long?"

"Not long, just a week. I fly out on Thursday, be back the next Thursday. What about you?"

"Umm…I fly out on Wednesday, and I'll fly back to DFW on Monday. Sammie's birthday is on Thursday, so I want to go in so I can celebrate with her." I thought back to when we'd finally stopped pussyfooting around. "Has it really just been a week?" I laid my head back onto his shoulder.

"Strange to think, huh?" I hummed. "Feels like longer." His voice grew quiet. "Wish it was longer."

"You have no idea." I laughed at my thought.

"What doya mean?" I stopped laughing when I realized I'd spoken out loud. "Hey, no clammin' up on me. What doya mean?"

"I've kinda had a…crush on you for, well, for a while."

"How long is a while?"

"Long enough to border on pathetic."

"Hey, do not talk about yourself like that." His voice was stern. I patted his leg then left my hand on his thigh.

"It's true though. I thought you were so damn hot the first time Ali introduced us. Then, when you moved back from Paris, the attraction grew. Seeing the way you treated women, especially your Ma and Ali, seeing how dedicated and passionate you are about your work, among many other things, it just caused you to burrow further into my heart. Cheesy and so fucking cliché, I know, but it's true."

"Two years," he said, and it almost sounded awed. I felt him shake his head. "I wish I'd had my head outta my ass. All that wasted time." I turned and pressed my lips to the underside of his jaw. I felt his breath hitch.

"Take your own advice; leave the past in the past. We've got time now."

* * *

**AN: Sorry this is late. Our internet went out last week. We, as in the whole town, was without it for a few days. I've decided to close this story up in the next couple chapters. Then I'll have time to go back and rework it how I like. I don't want to leave you hanging, but I gotta get back to the drama/angst. :)**

**Hope you liked Parker, and Ali with Parker. I can't wait to write them a bit more in the next version of the story. Let me know in a review what/who you'd like to see more of in the rewrite. I want to hear your input. **


	18. Ch 17

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 17**_

**Edward POV**

**May 29 (Friday)**

I stepped off the plane to a beautiful sunset peekin' over the horizon. New Zealand really was a gorgeous place. I enjoyed every visit I've ever had to this country. The people were friendly, the food was great, and the landscape was serene. I felt a small smile tug at my lips. I definitely had to bring Bell sometime. She'd love it.

After gatherin' my bags, I left the Auckland Airport and caught a taxi to The Langham. I was only in Auckland for two nights, so I didn't understand why such lavish accommodations, but when Nat Geo makes the arrangements, you don't exactly argue. As soon as I stepped out, my bags were taken from me, and the man followed me to the front desk.

"Hello, and welcome to The Langham. How may I help you?" the man behind the counter greeted.

"I have reservations," I said then turned and covered my mouth to yawn. "I'm sorry. I just got off the plane. Long flight." He smiled in understandin'. "They should be under Edward Cullen." He began typin' until my information appeared.

"Liam," Jack, accordin' to the name tag, said to the man with my bags. "Please take Mr. Cullen's things to room 314."

"Yes, sir," Liam said then hurried away.

"We have you listed here for one night, correct?"

"Yes, sir." He programmed a key card, entered my credit card information for incidentals, and then directed me to my room.

The room was a Langham Club King Room. While it wasn't a suite, it was still unnecessarily lavish. My things were laid out in the closet, but Liam was nowhere in sight. I unpacked my toiletries, took a shower to wash away the hours I'd spent in the plane, then pulled on a pair of boxers. I closed the curtains on the window; mercifully it made the room almost pitch black, and crawled into bed. I set the alarm on my phone, this was only a nap, and figured up that it was only 4:30 am in Seattle where Bell was. I frowned since I'd been hopin' to call 'er, but I wasn't gonna wake her. I was almost fully asleep when I heard my phone beep tellin' me I got a text message. _Please call me when you get this. I'm worried. You should have landed an hour ago, but I haven't heard from you. Love ya. _I dialed her number and waited for it to connect.

"Hey," she said with relief.

"Hey, beautiful. I'm sorry I worried ya," I said. "It's only 4:30 there, what are ya doin' up?"

"It's 12:30 here. I'm a day behind, four hours ahead."

"Oh, sorry. I got mixed up."

"That's okay. I've been waiting to hear that you made it safe."

"Who has the visit been so far? How was Sam's birthday party? Did ya do anything wild?" She snorted. How she made that sexy, I'll never know.

"We had a pajama party." I tried to picture her in pajamas but all I could see was her in tiny little boy shorts and a tight camisole. I groaned at the image even though I knew it wasn't what she woula worn to a fifteen-year-old's party. One could hope. "We ate junk food, watched romantic comedies, and gushed about boys."

"Boys?"

"Boys, Edward. Sammie like's this guy at school, Jamie and Kelley have a boyfriend. Andrea has a long distance pen pal, and Misty is crushin' on nobody."

"Whadabout you?"

"Well, I have this gorgeous as hell boy toy with 'oh my god' strong arms." She squealed like a little girl. I was stuck between blushin' because I knew she was quotin' those teens and feelin' hot around the collar hopin' she thought so too.

"Boy toy?"

"Not my words, and not exactly true." Her voice got so quiet I thought I imagined the next thing I heard. "At least not for long." I swallowed thickly. She sighed. "I guess I should get back to the family." I cleared my throat.

"Yeah. Me too."

"Call me in a few days?"

"Of course. I love you."

"Love you too." I smiled.

"Night."

I waited for the phone to disconnect before hanging up on my end. I placed the phone back on the side table and pulled the comforter over my shoulders. I loved talkin' to Bell, but it made me want her here badly. I wanted to have her lyin' next to me, pressed against. I'd have to wait though. I wasn't gonna rush this and scare 'er away. My jaw popped when I yawned. It didn't take long to fall asleep.

**May 31 (Sunday)**

I woke to the alarm and pulled myself from the bed to walk across the room and shut it off. I'd placed it far away cause if I hadn't, I woulda just hit the snooze. I had to get goin' if I wanted to be there on time. It didn't take long to pack since I'd only taken out the essentials. Once everything was gathered and I'd taken once last sweep around the room. I went to the lobby to check out.

"Thank you for staying with us, Mr. Cullen," the man behind the counter said. "Your car is waiting out front. Jack has already loaded your bags. I hope you have a wonderful visit."

"Thank you very much." I smiled and waved as I left. I got in the car as the driver held the door and took out my phone as he pulled out of the hotel parking lot. "Excuse me. About how long is the drive to Warkworth?"

"About an hour, sir," the driver said. "Leigh is another twenty minutes from there."

"Thank you." It was…around noon in Seattle. If my math was correct. I dialed and wait.

"Hello?" she answered, almost as if she didn't know who was on the line.

"Hey, babe. How are ya?"

"Oh! Hi! Sorry, everyone's running around like a mad man."

"Is everything alright?" It needed to be okay. I was too far away for something to be wrong. I couldn't get to her quickly.

"Everything's fine. We're just getting ready for tonight. I don't know why they're getting ready so early. We've still got about six hours before we have to leave. It's going to be fine." I could just picture her rollin' 'er eyes.

"Let Ian have his day."

"Oh, Ian's cool as a cucumber. He's actually out with his best friend Nahuel right now. They're gonna have a party at his parent's place tonight, so they're getting snacks at the store. Mom's worried about what she's gonna wear, Ssammie's complaining about her hair. She's so worried it's gonna look frizzy, and the guy she likes is going to be at the graduation. She just "can't look like a cat or drowned rat."

"What about Charlie?"

"That's the weird thing. He's running around looking for film for his 35mm camera. I didn't realize he doesn't have a digital. How the hell do you make it to 2010 with a digital?" I scowled even though she couldn't see me.

"There's nothing wrong with a non-digital camera." She giggled.

"Oh, stop pouting. It's not sexy." I smiled at that. "You and my dad are more alike than I realized." I started to say something, but she cut me off. "I don't want to talk about this chaos. What are you doin'?"

"I'm being driven to the Bed & Breakfast I'll be stayin' at. As soon as I get my stuff settled, I'll head over to the island to do some scoutin'."

"I would say take lots of pictures for me to look at, but…you know." She chuckled. "Have you been to this island before?"

"No. I've been to Big Barrier Island but not Little Barrier Island. I'm hopin' to get some great shots."

"You'll do wonderfully. Your work is beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Bells," I heard her dad say in the background. "I need more film. I only have two rolls. Can you run to the store for me? Sue's making me take her into Port A. She says she doesn't have anything to wear."

"She's got plenty to wear. Why doesn't she wear that plum wrapdress. It's gorgeous on her." I just say quietly and listened to the conversation with amusement.

"She wore that to Samantha's Awards Ceremony."

"What about that green short sleeve that hits just above her knees."

"She wore it last week for date night." Bella sighed, and I laughed.

"Keep your damn mouth shut," she snapped at me.

"Bells, leave the boy alone. Hi Edward."

"Hello, Chief."

"He says hello. Fine, I'll go grab film while you drive mom to Port A. Mom, you should buy something in blue or gray. It'd look wonderful with your skin-tone." I'd long been pushed to the background, but I wasn't upset. This was family. I understood that.

"Baby, I'm gonna let you go. Help your dad. I'll talk to you tomorrow," I said with a smile.

"Okay. Call me when you get a chance. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

**June 1 (Monday)**

I found a great little clearing to set my stuff and rest. I'd been hiking for about an hour. The sun was just rising, throwing an eerie but somehow appropriate shadow over the surrounding greenery. I grabbed the camera I'd had out and ready to snap a few shots. Even if there were not native wildlife in them, they were going to be beautiful.

Once the natural lighting had changed, I put the camera down. Shots like that were captured by luck and luck alone. I pulled out my phone and checked for reception. Luckily, I had three bars. That'd be enough to place a call. I pressed '2' then send.

"Hey handsome," she answered, the smile evident in her voice. I smiled in response.

"Hey gorgeous. How are ya?"

"I'm good. Fixin' to start cookin' lunch." I loved when that rare Southern twang peeked out. It was so damn sexy. "What are you up to?"

"I'm looking at one of the most gorgeous sunrises ever."

"Yeah? Are you on the island?"

"Yep. I've been hikin' 'bout an hour. Found this great little clearing. I wish you were here." I would love to share this with her.

"Do you?" she said coyly. "And what exactly would you do with me in a nice little clearing at sunrise that's at least an hour from civilization?" I swallowed as a heat spread through my body at the implication. I spoke without thinking.

"Oh, the things I would do to you, you could only imagine." I heard a breath leave her shakily. "Don't start something you can't handle."

"Oh, I can handle it." Her voice had dropped, taken on a husky tone. I shifted trying to relieve the pressure in my shorts. "the question is, can you?" I was going to be snarky with her, get her riled up, but she startled me. "Shit! Ian, don't sneak up on me like that. Damnit! What the hell?" He was laughing at her. That deflated me quickly.

"How was Ian's graduation?" I tried as a distraction.

"It was a high school graduation. They're all the same I guess. Ian was valedictorian. His speech was great, very well written."

"I think he gets that from his sister." She snorted.

"Yeah. Right. It was kind of fun to see him up there speaking though." I heard a scuffled before Ian's gruff voice.

"What are you, twelve? Who gives noggies anymore? Let go of me!"

"He's very charismatic, compelling," Bell continued without acknowledging her brother. "I think he's going to do well in Law. As long as he sticks with it. Anyway, we went to dinner afterwards with Nahuel and his family. Dad let him go to some party afterwards. He came in around four this morning."

"Was he drunk?" I remembered my graduation. I had never drank before and let a friend talk me into trying it. It didn't take much before I was completely drunk. That was not a parental encounter when I came home. I heard Bell sigh then she spoke quietly.

"No. I heard Dad asking him if he did; I think he expected it. Ian denied it though. He explained that he'd seen what 'that stuff' did to me. He said he didn't plan on ever drinking." My heart broke for her a little. I knew the guilt would be tearin' at 'er.

"Baby, don't be blamin' yourself. It's not somethin' essential to life. If he doesn't want to try it, that's okay."

"It's like a teenage experience though, to get drunk after graduation."

"It's not some rite of passage. It's not a requirement, and he's not missin' out on anything."

"Maybe. I just hate myself sometimes for what I put them through."

"You wouldn't be who you are if you lived any other experience. None of y'all would be. I do hate that you had to experience that, but I wouldn't change anything that led you to me. I love you for who you are now. I don't wanna change ya."

"I love you." I smiled and felt like a damn girl when my stomach tightened at her words.

"I love hearin' you say that."

"Bells, when are you going to start cooking? I'm hungry," I heard in the background.

"Ian, you're always hungry. Calm your ass down. I'll cook when I'm damn well ready."

"Dad'll be mad if he hears you talk like that."

"Then don't tell him." I laughed at their banter.

"I'm gonna let you go, babe."

"Noooo. You don't have to. He'll wait. _You'll wait._"

"Hey, has Ian made a decision about college?"

"Yep, though I wouldn't know what it is." She raised her voice so he could hear. "He's leaving us in the dark for a few more hours."

"I told you I'd tell you at dinner, damnit. Don't be so impatient."

"Ian Charles!" I heard Mrs. Swan yell in the background. "Don't you dare use that kind of language."

"Come on, Ma! Bells says worse!"

"She does not." Bell laughed and Ian scoffed.

"You're so lucky they're delusional when it comes to you," Ian spat at his sister.

"Baby, let me let ya go. You have things to deal with."

"I guess. Call me later, at least before I get on the plane tomorrow."

"I will. I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

**June 2 (Tuesday)**

It was noon before I got a chance to call Bell. I was pushin' it close since her plane was s'posta take off in less than an hour. I hurriedly packed up my stuff before callin' her. I honestly expected to get her voicemail immediately. She often turned her phone off as soon as she got to the airport. I was surprised when it started ringin'. I was even more shocked when she actually answered.

"Hey," I answered. "I'm surprised I caught ya."

"Uh, yeah." She sounded a little distracted. "How's it goin'?"

"Good. I finally got a lull, just in time to call."

"Mhmm." I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"You okay, babe?"

"Yeah. Checking my e-mails. The house is done." That news shocked me.

"Really? That's great. When I get home, we can go pick up your furniture."

"About that…I'm gonna have to buy some more. I've gotta furnish the spare bedroom to be an actual bedroom."

"What? Why? What's goin' on?"

"Well, something's come up, and I'll probably be hosting a guest."

"Oh? Your family coming for a visit?"

"Well…not exactly." I took a seat on a nearby rock.

"I'm still confused."

"Well, Ian made a college decision."

"That's right. He was gonna tell y'all last night at dinner. Where's he goin'?"

"SMU." The news, though unexpected, wasn't all that shocking when I thought about it. Ian and Bell had a strange but close relationship. I could see him moving to be closer. Now she'd get her chance to cultivate that relationship, be the big sister she wanted to be.

"That's great! You'll get to pester him 24/7 now." She laughed heartily.

"True. I'm sorry I sound distracted. I'm checking out furniture online. I changed my flight to Thursday so that we could fly down together. He's gotta get all his stuff together. Dad thought it'd be a good idea for him to spend the summer down there, get accustomed to the area."

"Sounds reasonable. Ya happy?" There was a pregnant pause that made a bit of worry creep up my spine.

"Yeah," she said thoughtfully, honestly. "I am."

* * *

**AN: Unbetaed again. And please, please, please just ignore any time difference discrepensies. I wanted to get this complete so I could get it to y'all. The time difference was so hard for me to figure. Me and math don't get along. Ask my boss; he knows all about it. I'm constantly making mistakes. My mind just won't wrap around it.**

**I hope you liked it. Edward is obviously missin' Bell. He's pretty transparent. And we got some more interaction between Bella and her family. I don't have siblings, but I've seen my cousins interact. Thiss was calm compared to what I'm used to.**

**Did you like that Ian's gonna be livin' with Bell in Dallas? I want her to have the chance to have that sibling relationship she thinks she missed out on. How much closer can you get than livin' together. It could create some fun situations. Fun...ha. **

**I'll be wrappin' up in a few chapters, once everything gets settled in Bell's life. Then I'll be able to rewrite this thing and do it justice. :/ Review, and let me know what ya think. I'll send ya a sneak peek of the next chapter.**


	19. Ch 18

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Chapter 18**

**Bella POV**

**June 4 (Thursday)**

"IAN!" I yelled down the hallway.

"What?" he harshly replied. We'd only been home a few hours, and already I could tell this would be a trying situation. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that this was a good thing. Just as I felt myself calm, he walked into the living room.

"I'm sorry I've been so high-strung today. I'm just nervous. I haven't lived with anyone in almost a decade." It was true. When I'd moved away from home, I'd gotten an apartment instead of living on the UT campus.

"Don't worry about it. Everything'll work out. Now, why did you yell?" I tossed my phone on the couch next to my purse.

"Ali called and said there was some kind of emergency at the store. She needs help with a shipment, I think. I'm supposed to be at the damn airport to pick up Edward," I looked at my watch, "in less than two hours. Shit! I gotta get going." I started gathering my things.

"And you yelled at me becaaaaaauseeeee…" _Oh. Please don't get mad._

"Can you go help Alice?" I said sweetly with a smile that I'm sure came across in more of a grimace.

"Aww, Bellaaaa."

"Please, Ian. I need your help." I threw the phone in my purse and reached between the cushions to try to find to keys.

"Can I go to the airport to get Edward? I really don't want to be in a lingerie store with my sister's best friend." I sighed. I was hoping he'd just buck up and help. I was _really_ looking forward to finally seeing Edward again.

"You don't know where the airport is." He walked away towards the kitchen as he retorted.

"I don't know where Alice's is either." Damn. I huffed.

"Fine. The airport's easier to find. I can give you directions."

"I'll just google it. Go help Alice." He grabbed something and came back to the living room.

"Thank you. This is a huge help. I owe you." He handed over my keys. I smiled happily and kissed his cheek quickly. He scowled and rubbed his cheek.

"Damn right." I cringed; I'd really have to watch my mouth now. I hurried out of the house to my car that was parked next to Ian's rental. I backed out of the driveway quickly and made it to Ali's as quickly as safely possible.

"Al?" I asked as I walked into the shop. I tossed my purse under the front counter and went to investigate. My heart squeezed when I found Ali sitting on a turned over crate, crying. "Oh, Ali Gator, what's wrong?" She looked at me then jumped up and pulled me into a bon crushing hug.

"Oh Bella," she said wearily. I wrapped my arms around her. "It's over. It's all over." I felt cold at her words. What was over? Was she talking about Jasper? I thought everything was fine. I waited for her to continue, but she just cried.

"What's over?" I asked warily.

"The bank…denied…my loan." She spoke between sobs. "Now I can't…expand the store…and if I don't….expand the store…the business won't….grow…Eventually it'll…die down and…and…I'll have n-nothing…I'll be jobless…then homeless…and you have…Ian at home so I…w-won't even be…able to stay…s-stay with you." I felt absolutely awful for how hard Alice was taking this, but it was also a bit amusing. She had her dramatic moments, and this was definitely one of them. I rubbed her back gently.

"Oh, Ali. I'm sorry your loan was denied, but we're gonna figure this out. Okay?" She nodded and visibly started to calm. We heard the front door jingle alerting us to a customer. She pulled back and roughly wiped her face. "I'm going to go take care of the customer. I'll be right back." She nodded.

"Welcome to-" I began but stopped when I saw who it was. "Oh, hi Jasper."

"Bella," he said in greeting but wore a worried expression.

"You alright?"

"Something didn't feel right. Is Alice okay?" It amazed me how in tune with her he was. It wasn't the first time he'd known something was wrong without being told.

"She's in the back." I pointed behind me. "The bank didn't approve her loan."

"Oh. I bet she's tore up." He smiled sadly.

"Yeah." He walked over and hugged me.

"Thanks for coming over for her." I hugged him back.

"You're welcome." He made his way to the back room.

I stayed and ran the front while Jasper comforted Alice. In the early days of the shop, I'd helped out a lot. _Brazen Boutique_ had been open six months before Ali hired her first employee. In those six months, Ali and I had both spent a ton of time in this little building. Even though this loan had been denied, I knew she'd get it eventually and she'd expand. I was gonna miss this little place; it held some fond memories.

I was brought out of my nostalgia by the door opening. I greeted the customer and waited to see if she had any questions. After ten minutes of browsing, she asked for a different size. I made my way to the back to see if Alice had any stored. I found her cradled on Jasper's lap as he rubbed her back and whispered in her ear. It was such a tender moment. The thought made me realize I was turning into such a sap. I cleared my throat to get their attention.

"Sorry," Ali said as she pulled away and looked at me.

"No need to apologize," I said and smiled to reassure her. "A lady up front wants something in a different size."

"Oh." She stood up and brushed herself off. "What item?"

"Morning Dew from the Breaking Dawn Collection in 36C and Medium." She scurried away then came back, item in hand.

"I hadn't unpacked the shipment. I'll take care of her." I stopped her with a hand on her arm and took the item.

"I got this. Why don't you freshen up?" She didn't look horrible, but her eyes were puffy and mascara was a bit smudged.

"Thank you." I went back to the front, completed the transaction, and saw her out. As the door was closing, my phone rang.

"Hello, Ben." I hadn't heard from him since I'd left for Forks. Usually he'd at least text to see how I was or if he needed me to do any other wedding pieces.

"Hey Bella. How was Washington?" he asked conversationally.

"It was good. My brother was valedictorian; he gave a great speech. My sister turned fifteen, and it was nice to see my parents."

"That's great. I know it's your first day back, but I was wondering if you could come in for a meeting at 3:30." I suppressed my groan. That was an hour after Edward should leave the airport. I'd be able to see him if I missed this meeting. "I know this is last minute, but I think it's really important that you be here. It'll be over by 4:30."

"Sure." I hoped my voice sounded less annoyed that I was.

"Thanks. I'll see you then."

"Bye."

My phone beeped as I sat it on the counter. I let out a harsh breath. _What else could go wrong?_ I picked it back up to see that the damn battery was almost dead, _and lo and behold,_ I didn't have my car charger with me. Just then, Ali and Jasper came in from the back room, hand in hand. I scowled at their joint hands. I missed Edward.

"He'll be here soon," Alice said as if she were a fucking psychic. "Hey, aren't you supposed to pick him up soon?" She walked over and leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Ian went to get him so I could come here," I said with a pout. "Then Ben called to tell me I gotta be at a meeting at 3:30. He'll probably be at home asleep by the time I'm done. Plus, my phone is about to die, and I don't have my car charger so I won't even be able to talk to him when he lands."

"You'll see him today, BB. He won't go to sleep until he sees you. I guarantee it." My phone rang again. I growled softly but answered anyway.

"Hey, Rose." It was good to hear from her. I really enjoyed our girl's nights. We hadn't done that in a while. I'd have to plan one.

"Hey, Bella," she said. "How was Ian's graduation and Sammie's birthday?"

"Good. Ian gave a great speech. Sammie had a few friends over, and we had a pajama party." She laughed.

"Oh the good ol' days. Everything was so simple at fifteen. No responsibilities, no worries."

"Ain't that the damn truth?" She snorted.

"I hate to do this, but I'm calling for a favor."

"What's up?"

"I'm taking Tristan and Trinity for a check-up at the doctor's but he called and needed to reschedule. So now the appointments earlier, and if I'm going to make the appointment I won't be able to get Lillian from the babysitter's on time. Would it be too much trouble to have you pick her up at 5:00, 5:15?" I could feel my bad mood worsen. Now I wouldn't be able to see Edward until even later. I couldn't let the twins miss their check-up though.

"Sure. What's the address?"

"Oh, Bell, thank you! You're such a life saver." I got the address from her and as soon as I hung up, my phone died. How fucking convenient. I told Ali what was up and she pulled me into a fierce hug.

"It'll be okay, BB. I promise." I checked my watch when she pulled away.

"I gotta go so I can get to Ben's on time."

I hugged them each goodbye, tossed my useless phone in my purse, and then started to make my way across town. Thanks to traffic, or just my luck, I parked and made my way to his office with barely five minutes to spare. I was lucky I'd dressed up a bit in anticipation of seeing Edward. It wasn't exactly business-wear, but that's the joy of freelancing.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Bella," Ben said as he stood and shook my hand. I smiled back.

"No problem," I assured him even though it was. "Perfect timing actually. I just finished helping Alice, and I'm picking up Lillian from the babysitter's for Rose at 5:00."

"How are Rose and Emmett?" We sat, him behind his desk and me in the far left of the three chairs facing his desk.

"Good last time we spoke. And Angela?" He smiled widely.

"Wonderful. She's actually eating for two now." I smiled a genuine smile.

"Congratulations. How far along is she?"

"Eleven weeks. We found out yesterday." We were interrupted by a knock on the door. Someone peeked their head in. "Come on in." Two men walked in and took the seats beside me after Ben introduced us. "Bella, Mr. Weston is-"

"Editor-in-Chief. Took over in '04. You increased circulation by 17% in the first year alone." I did work for _The Dallas Morning News_ fairly regularly. I made sure to know what I needed to know.

"Wow!" Mr. Weston said. "I'm very impressed."

~*~W~*~

"Momma!" Lillian yelled as she ran, okay more like tottered, up the stairs. Rose crouched down and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, little girl," Rose said with a chuckle. "Did ya have fun with Jenny?"

"Yeah. We played Barbie." I tried to suppress a giggle when Rose grimaced. I walked up the stairs and stood watching.

"I'm glad you had fun, but maybe next time we can find something else something else to play with. Oooh! Maybe y'all can watch Little Einsteins together. Does that sound like fun?"

"Yeaaaahhhh!" Rose smiled and stood.

"Good. Say bye to Miss Bella. She needs to get home." Lillian turned and hugged my knees.

"Bye, Miss Beww-Belwa." She was working so hard on getting my name right.

"Bye Lili. Sweet dreams, little one." Rose held the door open as Lillian went inside.

"Thanks again, Bella. You really helped me out today." I waved off her statement.

"It was my pleasure."

"Oh, let me get some money to help pay for the gas."

"No, Rose. Really, I didn't mind. She was a hoot, talked to whole way here. Jenny said she's been pretty would up today and didn't take a nap, so she'll probably be out quick tonight."

"Do you want to come in? Tell me more about your trip?" She pointed toward the house.

"Can I get a rain check? Edward flew in today, and I haven't seen him yet." She smiled a mischievous smile.

"I understand. Go sex up your man." I groaned.

"If only." She laughed. "Thanks, Rose. I'll call ya later, set something up. We need to have another girl's night."

"Sounds great. Drive safe."

I waved as I backed out of her driveway. I thought about going straight to Edward's, but decided against it. My place was on the way, so I'd drop by the house, grab the charger, and check to see if he'd left any messages. I was antsy the whole way home, flipping channels on the radio. I finally settled on KISS FM. It had some upbeat songs, distracting. I hurried out of the car once I parked next to Ian's rental.

I fumbled with the keys in my haste, but luckily, Ian opened the door for me. I walked inside with my head down, focused on getting my phone from my purse. I went to grab my charger from the kitchen counter so I could check my messages. God, I hoped he'd waited up for me.

"I'm not here for long," I told Ian. "My stupid phone died, and I didn't have the charger. I'm probably gonna head over to Edward's. Did you make it to the airport okay? Any problems?"

"He did great." I whipped around and stumbled in my haste. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulled me against his chest. "Edward! Wh-what are you doing here?" He smiled his crooked smile and my insides knotted.

"I could leave," he said sarcastically.

"No! No, I don't want you to leave." I wound my arms around his neck and smiled. "Hi."

"Hi."

I reached up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. I sighed at the contact. It'd been too long. Suddenly, I was no longer connected with the ground. I let out a little squeak as I was hoisted off the ground. He hands gripped my things, pulling them around his waist. I moaned when I felt just how much he'd missed me too, the evidence now perfectly lined with my center.

While his hands and body were rough, insistent, and needy, his mouth was anything but. He kissed me softly, tenderly. His tongue swept across mine almost languidly. He pulled my lip between his, sucking softly. It sent a thrill through my body, like electricity.

Just when I thought I'd have to pull away for air, his lips left mine. I started to protest until he latched onto my neck. _God, it feels so good._ He sucked every so lightly on my pulse point. I briefly wondered if it'd leave a mark. _Hell,_ I thought. _Let it. _

I'd wanted this for weeks now. Id' tried to go slow, not wanting to scare him off. I didn't know if he'd like me assertive, think I was pushing for too much too fast. This though, this told me we were both on the same track.

I weaved my hand into his hair and scratched his scalp. He groaned, walked a few steps, and pressed me against the wall, pressed his unfortunately jean-clad dick into me. I throbbed for him. Tightening my legs around his waist, I grinded back against him, letting him know this was a-fucking-okay.

"Get a room!"

"Shit!" I yelled as Ian walked by towards the kitchen. "Don't fucking sneak up on us." Edward lowered me back to my feet but didn't pull away.

"Don't get hot 'n heavy in a communal area." I looked over to see him glaring at Edward. _Maybe a brother roommate wasn't the best idea._ He grabbed a coke and started back towards his room. "Better yet, don't get hot 'n heavy. You two haven't even been together that long."

"Mind your own business. I'm a grown woman; I can do whatever the hell I want."

"Whatever." He disappeared down the hall. I finally looked back to Edward to see him looking down at the floor.

"Hey." He looked up, and I could tell what was coming.

"I'm sorry I attacked you like that," he said as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I just missed you so _fucking_ much this week, and I've wanted you so bad for so long." I smiled and cupped his cheek.

"Listen. Feel free to attack me like that anytime." He searched my eyes, and when he finally saw that I was being 100% truthful, he leaned forward and kissed me hard. Unfortunately, he pulled away too soon. "But maybe next time, it shouldn't be around my brother-slash-roommate." He chuckled and nodded.

"Next time." I smiled like a freakin' loon. _Next time._


	20. Ch 19

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Chapter 19**_

**Edward POV**

**July 9 (Thursday)**

I heard the front door open and close. I smiled at the sound. She hadn't knocked. I'd been tryin' to convince her for weeks to just come in whenever she visited, which wasn't as often as I woulda liked but with good reason. When I'd gotten off the plane from New Zealand, I was more than a little disappointed to see Ian waitin' for me. I smiled and thanked him though. He explained that Bell had to go help Alice with an emergency.

That got me worried. _What was the emergency? _As soon as I gathered my bags and we walked outta the airport, I dialed Bell's cell. It went straight to voicemail. I tried again but got the same response. My worry piqued, I tried Ali's cell. It didn't go straight to voicemail, but she didn't pick up either. Finally, I called the shop and sighed in relief when she picked up.

She'd explained that her loan had been denied and asked Bell to come to the shop. Then Bell had gotten a call from her editor, got roped into a meet'n. Then Rose'd called for a favor. I felt my melancholy grow knowin' I wouldn't see her anytime soon.

"_She needs to see you, Bubba," _Alice had said._ "She's havin' a bad day and was really tore up 'bout not getting' to get you from the airport. She's worried you'll be asleep by the time she's free." _

Ian offered to take me home, but I said I'd wait for Bell at her…their house if he didn't mind. When Bell _finally _made it home, I'd attacked her. I didn't even think, just let my body take over. When Ian interrupted us, I felt horrible. Not only had I attacked her like an animal, I'd done it with her brother in close proximity. Then she'd told me to attack her anytime, and my body responded, wanted to do it again. I didn't though…brother, remember?

I'd plugged her phone up and ushered her to the couch. We sat, her pulled as close into my side as possible, my arm draped over her shoulders. She'd asked 'bout New Zealand, and I told her the highlights. As soon as I got the pictures developed and the digitals on the computer, I'd show her properly. Then I'd asked about her day, and she proceeded to tell me about the meetin' she'd had with Ben.

"_Mr. Weston was impressed," she said as she snuggled her head under my chin. "We talked about my wedding articles and the piece in _Time_. He asked what my goals were with my career, how I felt about expanding my experience."_

"_What does that mean?" I asked as I kissed her hair and rubbed her arm. "Expandin' your experience?"_

"_He offered me a job." I pulled back enough to look at her. "He's asked me to be the editor of the wedding section along with writing a bi-weekly humanitarian piece to appear in the Sunday edition."_

I was so proud of her. She was gainin' notoriety with the paper, expandin' her skills, and gettin' to do what she loved. She'd been tentative about the offer, worried she'd be forever stuck with Weddings, but after we spent some time talkin' through it, she'd gotten excited and called Mr. Weston to accept the offer.

She'd spent the next week and a half in orientations, trainin's, and meetin's. She'd start early and end late just to have to go home and do some work. As soon as things started slowin' down for her, Ian had his Freshman Orientation at SMU. Mr. and Mrs. Swan came down to go with him and stayed with Bell. She had to entertain, host, and house them. I didn't see her at all those four days.

Just when I thought we were gonna get a break, Bell called to tell me Samantha was stayin' for a week. Bell seemed to think she was feelin' left out since both her siblings were now livin' together in a whole 'nother state. She'd begged to stay behind longer, and Bell bein' Bell couldn't say no. So, that was another week when I barely saw Bell. I'd gone to dinner with the siblings a few times, and I'd even accompanied them to the Zoo, but it wasn't the same as havin' Bell to myself.

Last week had been just a tad better. Samantha'd gone home, so Bell was back to havin' a two-person household. Ian had made some friends at his Orientation that lived in the area so they'd been hangin' out. I'd taken her on another date last Friday, a premiere at The Angelika at Mockingbird Station. We'd gone to Pappadeaux's afterwards. I could do a romantic date just as good as a fun one.

She'd been comin' over every few days as I worked in my darkroom. I could get carried away, have myself locked away for hours. She forced me to come out, take breaks, and eat. She cooked every time she was over. I don't think my kitchen had been used as much as it had been in this past week. I wasn't complainin' though. She always made enough to leave me leftovers. I was eatin' like a king.

.

My smiled widened when her heels hit the floor with a thud as she sighed. I heard her little feet pad into the kitchen then the refrigerator opened and closed. She called my name, and I hollered back that I was in the livin' room. She walked in, leaned over the back of the couch, and kissed where my neck and collarbone connected. She was unhindered as I had my shirt off. _Have you been in Texas in the summer? Yeah. That's what I thought._ I'd learned over our past encounters that grew more heated each time, it was a favorite place of hers.

When she started to pull back, I reached behind me, hooked my hand under her arm, and pulled her forward. She yelped at the sudden movement then laughed as she rolled over the back of the couch fallin' with her head in my lap, lookin' up at me with a beautiful smile. I rested a hand on her stomach and pushed her hair out of her face with the other. I took a minute to appreciate the beauty that I was damn lucky had chosen me. She was breathless in her happiness, smile radiant, and face a bit flushed from her laughter.

She raised her head towards me, and I leaned down to meet her halfway. Her lips were soft and luscious. They were still a bit slick from her strawberry scented chap stick. She had to wear the stuff since she was always chewin' on her lips. She wove a hand through my hair and scratched my scalp. Every time she did that, a shock went through me. I could feel myself grow hard as I always did with her around.

Reluctantly, I let her pull back but kissed her chastely one more time. I grabbed a throw pillow and laid it on my lap before she lay back down. I didn't need her lyin' on my erection. She threw one arm over her head and twined her fingers with the hand I had on her stomach. I ran my fingers through her hair causin' her to close her eyes and sigh. I'd missed her.

"Hello," I said cheekily. She giggled.

"Hello, handsome." She stretched and yawned. I greedily took her in as her white button-down shirt stretched taut across her chest, and her already long legs, encase in a very appealing knee-length skirt, seemed longer as she extended them as far as she could. "How was your day?"

"It's was productive. I've got my shots from New Zealand finalized. I'm gonna send about twenty of 'em to Nat Geo, let them make the final pick."

"That's great. They're all wonderful so no matter what ends up in the issue will be perfect." I loved that she was so supportive of my work.

"How was your day?" She groaned and closed her eyes again as I massaged her scalp.

"Long. Maddie and Hallie turned in their first draft so I worked on that. Jason was teaching me some more about blocking, and Mr. Weston stopped in for a surprise visit. Ben wants the first piece for my bi-weekly column on his desk by next Friday, so I really need to start working on that." She let out a long breath. "I'm not complaining, really."

"Of course."

"I'm just not used to it. It's so…so…" Her words trailed off as she yawned again. "It's just so tiring. I hope I adjust to this soon."

"Why don't you take a power nap? I'm sure you'll feel better after you've rested." She smiled in the way that always made me heart stutter.

"That actually sounds heavenly." I patted her tight little stomach.

"Come on. Get up. I'll take ya up to my room so you can rest comfortably." She stood and made a whinin' noise in her throat. "Ya alright?" I took her hand and pulled her towards the stairs.

"Yeah. My feet hurt. I shouldn't have listened to Ali and worn those heels. They're just not all-day shoes." I chuckled. Of course my sister was to blame.

We weren't even up two stairs when I felt her fall into my back. Once she was steady, I turned around to make sure she was okay. Her eyes were closed as she almost swayed on her feet. I pulled her into my side to guide her. Wouldn't that be great, her fallin' down the stairs? I flipped the light off once we made it to my room, pulled down the covers, and maneuvered Bell to lie on top of them. I sat at the end of the bed, pulled her feet into my lap, and ran my thumb over her arch.

"Mmmmm," she moaned loudly. "That feels niiiice." After a few minutes, I switched to her other foot and was rewarded with another loud moan of approval. I don't even think she knew how much of a turn-on her noises were.

I pulled the cover back further, tucked her feet underneath, and pulled the cover over her body up to her chin. She liked to sleep in a cocoon I'd decided. The few times she'd fallen asleep on my couch, she rolled herself up in the blanket so tightly. I leaned down and kissed her lightly thinkin' she was already asleep, but she kissed me back and grabbed my arm when I started to pull away. She tugged sleepily.

"Stay," she said in a slur as she pulled the covers back on the other side of the bed.

I toed off my shoes then crawled over her little body. I pulled the covers over myself then Bell scooted closer until the front of her body was flush against my side. She pulled my arm behind her head and laid her cheek against my chest. She threw a leg over mine and wriggled it between my own. She squirmed around a few more times before taking a deep breath and sighin' with a smile. I couldn't contain my grin.

"Are we done burrowin'?" I asked. She grunted, but that was her only response. I turned my head and buried my nose in her hair. I could tell by the steady puffs of air bathin' my chest that she was already out. "Sweet dreams."

I laid awake for a little while. She barely moved; I'd learned from her other naps that she usually woke up in the same position she fell asleep in. That was good though, 'cause I was a light sleeper. I'd know when she got up.

Just as my eyes were driftin', I heard her whimper. I looked at her face, but she seemed to be asleep. I closed my eyes, but not a minute later, she whispered my name. Still she seemed to be asleep. Then, _dear Lord help me_, she moaned and shifted her hips into me. The realization took my breath away; she was dreamin' about me.

"Mmm, Edward," She moaned sleepily.

"Bell," I whispered. I needed her to stop or I was gonna have a problem. She rubbed her leg against me. _Instant boner._ Her hips continued to lightly thrust. I let my hand rover over her hip to her ass before I pulled away quickly. I couldn't do this; she was asleep. "Faster," she mumbled.

"Oh, sweet Jesus." I covered my face with my hand and prayed she'd stop soon, or I would not be held accountable for my actions. Suddenly, she stilled and let out a contented sigh. I waited a few minutes before takin' a deep breath. _How the hell am I supposed to sleep all wound up? _Eventually, by some miracle, I did.

.

I felt weightless for a moment. You know that place where you're half between sleep and consciousness? That's where I was, but I registered that there was a weight settled over me. The weight shifted forward, and I felt a tickle on my chest. Pullin' myself out of the heaviness, I cracked an eye open. I felt one side of my mouth tug up as the image before me registered.

Bell straddled my hips, resting on top of me. She leaned forward trailin' feather-light kisses across my chest as she balanced her weight on one arm. I hummed as her lips passed ever so gently across my nipple.

She smirked at me before she said, "Nice of you to…get up."

I heard the double entendre and almost brought it to her attention. Then she wiggled her hips over my semi-hard cock tellin' me it was deliberate. Well, not so semi after that. My eyes closed at the feelin'. I reached out to rest my hands on her hips…her lace-covered hips. I peeked with one eye to see the most enticing, most delectable pair of hunter green, lace cheekies covering her milky, smooth skin. I rubbed my hands against her softly, loving the contrast between her silky skin and slightly scratchy underwear.

"You like those?" she asked coyly. I looked up realizin' my eyes had been focused farther south. She was smirkin', but I could tell she was affected too; her eyes were slightly hooded. I licked my lips and nodded. I looked down again to see that even though she'd shed the skirt, her button-down shirt was still on. "Do they feel good?" She rubbed herself against me again. I groaned and tightened my grip. She leaned down until she rested above me, weight on her forearms, her shirt-clad breasts barely brushin' my chest.

"Bel-la," I heard myself say. She kissed me softly, and when I tried to deepen the kiss she pulled away only to come back and kiss me teasingly again then backing off quickly. "Tease." She giggled and the sound made my dick twitch.

"Only a tease if I don't follow through." She leaned down further placing her lips on the shell of my ear, her warm breath ghosting over me sendin' pleasurable shivers down my spine. "And I fully intend on following through." She bit softly and nibbled on my ear. The sensations running through my body were overwhelmin'. I decided to see how far she wanted this to go.

I dragged the fingers of one hand across the waist of the lace. My touch was feather-light. I could feel her stomach flutter, her breath falter, and then her breathin' quicken. I ran my fingers back and forth slowly reveling in her reaction to my touch. When she pushed herself against my hand and her eyes fluttered closed, I took that as a green light.

I slowly, _oh so slowly_ dragged one finger down. I watched as she took a sharp breath then bit her bottom lip. I pulled my other hand up and used my thumb to pull her lip free. I then gripped her neck, pulled her face to mine, and took that lip between my own teeth. She whimpered as I skimmed over her center. I smiled at the sound and did it again. She rocked her hips forward so I increased the pressure.

"_Fuuuuck_," she purred. I hummed when I felt how wet she was. I could feel it soaked through the lace. I rubbed harder but still rather lightly, and she moaned loudly. Feeling brave, my fingers traveled to the edge of her underwear, and I dipped one inside. "Oh, Edward." She leaned down and kissed me hard.

"Bell, baby, you're so wet." I almost rolled my eyes at the ridiculousness of my statement; almost because I was too damn far gone to care. I skimmed over her smooth skin until I felt her slightly rough hair. I groaned at the discovery, fallin' in love with her even more. I don't know where the obsession with a bare pussy came from, but it wasn't for me. I liked knowin' I was with a _woman_ and not some child.

"Oh God, Edward, touch me. Please. Touch me."

"Yes ma'am." I slid my finger into her wet folds, running them from top to bottom barely touching her clit or entrance.

"Fuck, yeah." I loved her dirty mouth. I'd often wondered, _and when I say often, I mean more than three times a day_, if she was feisty in bed. Looked like I was gonna get my wish. As I rubbed her slick lower lips, she began to rock in rhythm with my ministrations. "Baby, that feels so good."

"What doya want, Sugar?" She smiled at the name. I'd called her that once a few weeks ago, and she said she loved it.

"I want you." She bit my collarbone, and I groaned.

"You've got me."

"Don't tease me, Edward. I want you. I've wanted you for years, and now that I have you, I don't want to waste anymore time. I want all of you." She smiled devilishly. "Repeatedly if possible." I felt one side of my mouth lift.

I pushed up to rest on one arm as I wrapped the other around her waist. I pulled her closer as she settled over my erection that was, unfortunately, still confined in my shorts. I leaned in and kissed her slowly, savorin' her. I wanted to make this great for her. She kissed me back hungrily. Her hands trailed down my arms roughly before she threaded them through my hair and tugged lightly. I moaned as the slight sting turned pleasurable and traveled down to my cock.

I pulled back slightly to say, "Slow down, Sugar. We've got time. I want to make this good for you." She smiled a small smile.

"Oh, it's gonna be good no matter what." Her voice was a bit husky and seductive. I felt my eyes grow heavy. "But by all means, make it good. Make it great. Make me moan for you, crave you, _beg_ for you."

I flipped us quickly so she rested on her back and I hovered above. She let out a small yelp before giggling. I loved that sound. I leaned down and pulled her nipple between my teeth. Her giggle abruptly stopped as she arched her chest, pushing her shirt-covered breast further into me. I sucked at her through the cloth as I rubbed my thumb over her neglected nipple.

"Off," she said breathlessly. "Take it off."

I pulled back enough to get my hands between us. The bottom button was the first to go. I pushed the button through its hole moving slowly, deliberately. Never much for patience, Bell started from the top button and worked her way down at a much faster pace. I was on the third button when she popped the last one. I held the shirt closed while she huffed.

"_Edward. Please."_ I smiled as I kissed the valley between her breasts. She shuddered slightly, wound her hands in my hair, and tugged.

I pulled her shirt away from her skin revealin' a matching hunter green, lace bra. The tops skimmed just above her nipples so enticingly. I bent down to run the tip of my tongue across the swell of her breast. She sighed and rested her head back against the pillow. I pushed my hand behind her back causing her to arch. I popped the clasp of her bra then pulled her up as I rested on my knees. She shrugged the shirt off, and then I pulled the straps down her arms. My mouth watered at the sight before me.

"Beautiful," I heard myself whisper.

Her rosy pink nipples stood erect on her pert breasts. Before I could pull one into my mouth to enjoy, she popped the button on my shorts distracting me. I watched as she lowered the zipped while running her fingers over my dick. My breath deepened at her touch._ Fuck, yeah. I wanted this. Now._ She lay back down and raised her feet to push my shorts and boxers down my hips. I kicked them off as quickly as I could but got tangled in the mess. My balance tipped, and I fell forward catchin' myself on my forearms just before crushin' 'er. She laughed heartily at my clumsiness.

"Don't laugh at me," I whined but couldn't complain too much since the action caused her tits to rub against me deliciously. I grew harder and thrust against her. My cock slid against her hot center, the rough scratchiness of her underwear against my cock shootin' a thrill through me. Her laughter immediately died down, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Condom?" she asked. I pulled myself from her to reach up to my nightstand. I opened the drawer and pulled out a strip. She pulled them from my hand with a wicked smile. "Can we use all of them?" I groaned as my cock twitched. She'd be the death of me.

"We can try. Just keep in mind that I'm not a seventeen-year-old boy. I need recovery time."

"You're not that old." She tore off the first foil packet and tore it open with her teeth. "Sit up, big boy. Let's get you ready." She started to push me back, but I held fast and instead pushed her back down.

"No. Let's get you ready."

"I am ready." She struggled to sit up, but I grabbed her wrists and held them to her side. "Edward," she whined.

I leaned down and pulled her nipple between my teeth. I figured it was the quickest method of distraction. Her moan confirmed that. I soothed her bud with my tongue then made my way down with slow, open-mouth kisses over her stomach. Feelin' her relax into the feeling, I slowly released my grip and ran my hands over every inch of skin I could touch. When I reached the barrier of her underwear, I slid my thumbs underneath and slowly, oh so slowly, pulled 'em down her legs.

She raised her hips to aid my mission and before long, I was flinging' 'em to the floor. I couldn't take my eyes off her sex. Her hair was the same chocolate brown, and I could tell it was neatly groomed. The thought of someone else doin' that for her, seeing her there, _guy or girl…I didn't care, _made jealousy bubble up. _Mine. She was mine. Only for me. _The sound of her clearin' her throat broke me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I looked up to see her lookin' at me curiously.

**Bella's POV**

I raised my hips so my underwear would come off faster. I was tired of all the teasing. We had forever to do the slow, sweet thing. _Forever? I'd have to ponder that later. _Right now, though…right now, _fuck, _I wanted him. His eyes never left the apex of my thighs. I knew men were visual creatures, but he just kept staring. I could almost see the wheels turning. Then his eyes took on a hint of something I couldn't quite identify. Was something wrong? I fought the urge to cover up. I cleared my throat to get his attention.

"Hmm?" he asked not fully out of his trance.

"You're gonna give me a complex," I tried to joke.

"Do you get this done?" He pointed at my pussy. I quirked a brow; _was he serious?_ "Does someone else see you? Touch you?" _Oh! _I smirked at his question, reached forward, and pulled him by the neck down to my lips. I kissed him hard, pulling his red, swollen bottom lip between my teeth. God, he was so hot when jealous. I sucked on that lip and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like when I sucked his cock.

"Are you jealous, Mr. Cullen?" He scowled at me.

"No." He sounded petulant, his tone confirming what I'd seen in his eyes. "Answer the question."

"Yes. I get _that _done." He growled quietly, but I heard that. And damn if it didn't make me shiver. He reached forward and trailed one finger down my glistening lips.

"I want to be the only one touching you." His finger was gentle, but the lack of pressure, the teasing touch on my already sensitive skin, was electric. My hips bucked. He reached forward, laid his hand on my stomach, and anchored me to the bed. He continued touching me, his emerald eyes growing darker. "I want to be the only one that knows how you feel, how your skin is unbelievably smooth, how warm and silky you feel. How you radiate heat. Fuck, Bell, I can feel you throb."

I whimpered as his touch grew rougher. He finally, _finally, _circled my clit, and I nearly launched off the bed. I loved that he talked dirty. It made my insides coil in the most delicious way. My breathing grew heavier as he ventured lower. He brushed over my opening with each pass but never pushed in.

"Edward, please," I moaned. I couldn't take it anymore so I moved my hand to cover his. On the next pass, I used my finger to push his into me. His breath hitched and I gasped at the feel of him finally inside me. He pulled back slowly, and just when I thought he wasn't going to continue, I pushed him back in. After I was confident he wouldn't stop, I pulled my hand away and gripped the sheet. Just when I could feel the tension begin building, his hand stilled. "Wait. I mean no. Don't stop. Ed-Edward."

He leaned down and kissed me tenderly. I was having none of that shit. I leaned forward, never breaking the kiss, and gripped his hard shaft. He groaned as I began stroking him softly. His lips began moving with a sense of urgency. Then his fingers curled inside me. _Ungh._ I stroked him faster. When breathing became necessary, I pulled back to gulp in air.

"E-Edward," I panted. "Please." The urge to have him. The _need_ I felt to have him inside me was overwhelming. "Shit. Baby, please. Enough already; no more teasing."

"What do you want?" He pushed me to lie back down.

"You." He smirked.

"You got me, babe."

"You know what I mean." I didn't want to wait. I pulled him down on top of me until his body was flush against mine.

"Tell me, baby." I felt my frustration and anticipation grow.

"I want you inside me. _Now_." He tisked at me as he nipped at my lip.

"Don't get angry. You told me to make ya beg." He sat back up, and grabbed the condom I'd forgotten about. He pulled it from the package and rolled it down his length. I felt that imaginary spring coil tighter at the sight. This was really happening. I was finally going to have him.

He fell forward catching himself on his forearms and leaning down to kiss me. I pulled his tongue into my mouth and sucked lightly. He groaned and settled his hips flush against mine. His cock settled between my lips, and he slid against me, coating himself in my arousal. I whimpered as the rocking sensation hit just the right spot. I hitched my knee over his hip, and pulled him harder against me.

Having had enough, I reached down, took his length in my hand and pumped a few times. His kissed me hungrily in response. I positioned him and my entrance, and used my leg to pull him, encourage him to continue. _Thank God_ he didn't fight me. He pulled back to look in my eye. My breath hitched at the look in his eye.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," I said just as quietly. I gripped his shoulders as he pushed into me, stretched me, filled me. Once he was fully sheathed within me, we both let out a long moan. His head fell forward and rested on my shoulder, my breath panting on his neck. I'd never felt so full, so right, so perfect.

"Beeeeelllllllll." I lifted my hips to get him to move. "Stop, baby, stop. It's too good. I need a minute." I had to fight to stay still. I wanted to feel him move in me. Soon, he raised his head to look at me with the most tender expression and that damn crooked smile that made my stomach flutter. I couldn't help smiling back.

"Ya good?"

"Better than good."

"Great. Get movin'." He chuckled then leaned down to kiss me as he pulled back then thrust in just as slowly. I groaned. It felt good, but I wanted more. I pulled away, and he attached his lips to my neck. "Edward, please. We can do slow and sweet later. Please just-_ungh."_ I didn't get to finish as he thrust into me hard. God, it felt great.

"Like that?" His voice was deep and strained. I nodded as he did it again. He'd slide out slowly then push in quickly.

"Faster." He pushed back until he was on his knees. He grabbed my hips, pulled me up his legs, and thrust back in. "Yesss." He angled his hips just so, and on the next thrust he hit that magical spot. I gasped, as best I could in my breathless state, and braced against the headboard as my back arched. _There. There. Right there._ I looked at Edward to see his eyes trained where we were joined. I followed his line of sight and watched as he entered me over and over. I moaned at the sight. I'd never been watched before. It was mesmerizing.

"Like that? Watching me…watching us…oh, Bell." I moved one hand down and framed his dick with my fingers. I cupped my pussy so that he brushed my fingers with every thrust and pushed the heel of my hand onto my clit every time. The sensation was almost overwhelming. "Shit." I looked back at his face to see him clench his eyes shut, his breathing harsh. I squeezed my fingers tighter around him and he swore again.

"E-Ed-Edward." The coiling was so tight, so close. "I'm gonna…_oh fuck_…I'm gonna-_ungh_."

"Come for me, baby. Please. I can't…hold off…"

"Edward!" The spring broke loose, and I saw white. My walls clamped down on him, and I vaguely heard him call my name as he slammed in hard, and then thrust shallowly as his own orgasm took hold.

I gulped for air that was just out of reach until he feel forward, barely catching himself before all his weight settled on top of me. I finally took in a full breath smelling _us_ all through the air. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him as close as I could. He was completely covering me, and still he felt too far away. We didn't say a word as we struggled to catch our breath, let our heart rates lower.

Eventually he rolled over, pulling out of me in the process. I felt the loss immediately. He removed the condom, leaned over the side of the bed, and then rolled back. He reached over and pulled me to him. I placed my leg between his, lay my head on his chest, and wrapped my arm around his waist. I wriggled around until I was touching him as much as humanly possible. He chuckled when I finally stilled.

"Are we done burrowin'?" he asked. I could hear the smile in his voice. I made a noncommittal sound. "I love you."

"Love you too." I stretched to see how sore my muscles really were. He groaned at the movement and palmed my ass.

"Stop being so tempting. I need about twenty minutes." I giggled.

"Twenty minutes. What are we gonna do?" I looked up to see him smirking.

"Oh, I can think of somethin'."

* * *

**AN: *Peeks out from behind the couch* Hi. The only thing I can say is, "I'm sorry." RL is kind of crazy right now. Kinda really crazy. I've sorta got a second job, so findin time to write has been hard.**

**I'm hopin this chapter made up for it a little bit. They finally got their alone time. I honestly don't know where to end this thing, cause I'm just not that into this. Let me know how you'd like to see it end. Be my brainstorm. :D**


	21. Epi

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

_**Epilogue**_

**Edward POV**

**March 24, 2012 (Saturday)**

"Dude, sit down." I did as instructed and fell back into the cushy armchair. He thrust a glass in my face, the order clear. "Drink this. Please. You're making _me_ nervous." I let out a harsh breath.

"No. I won't be drinkin' any alcohol. When I kiss her, she'll taste it. I'm not doin' that to her."

"We've still got an hour. Plenty of time for it to wear off. Plus, you can always suck on a mint." The door opened, and I turned to see Jasper and Emmett walkin' in.

"How's our boy doin'?" Emmett asked Riley.

"He's a damn wreak," Riley said exasperatedly causin' Emmett to laugh loudly. Jasper just chuckled.

"Ditch the nerves, dude. It'll be over quick."

"I'm not nervous, just anxious. I haven't see her since Sunday. Stupid Alice." I grumbled and pouted, I was man enough to admit.

"Hey, that's my wife you're talkin' bout," Jasper warned, but I could hear the humor in his voice.

"She's still my baby sister."

I was a bit shocked when Alice had announced their engagement a mere four months after meeting. She was never one to jump into things, which led me to believe there had to be a reason. So, I asked if she was pregnant. _Wrong response._ After I'd picked myself up off the floor and got an icepack from the freezer to sooth my nuts, I sat on the couch, apologized, and listened.

They loved each other, I couldn't deny that. I'd known that for a while, but it was still hard. She was my baby sister; it was my responsibility to take care, and I wasn't quite ready to give up that responsibility. It was out of my hands though. That was Jasper's job now.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and focused on the present. Emmett had taken the whisky off my hands and downed the contents in one gulp. Jasper laughed, and Riley refilled the glass. He did it again.

"Whoa!" Jasper said and took the glass from his hand. "Slow down, son. What's the rush? What do _you _have to be nervous about?"

"Rosie's pregnant," He said.

"What? Wow! That's great, Em. Congrats," I said as I stood then hugged him. He was smilin' widely.

"I can't believe we're havin' another rugrat. We'll have to find another house. We ain't got enough rooms. I'm not nervous. It's just that I'm on a time constraint. She's four months along already."

"We'll help." We all took a seat.

"I appreciate it. Don't mention it to the girls. Rosie wants to tell 'em." We all agreed.

There was a knock on the door. Riley got up to answer and ushered them in. My parents came in smilin' happily. Jasper and Emmett stood to hug Momma and shake Dad's hand. They chatted for a few minutes before excusin' themselves, leavin' me alone with my parents. Momma came over and held my face in her hands.

"My baby boy," she said, her voice thick with tears. I rolled my eyes.

"Com' on, Ma," I teased. "Don't start."

"She's just happy for ya, son," Dad said as he pulled Momma into his side and kissed her temple. I wanted to still be that in love thirty years from now. Momma's eyes lit up as she held my shoulders.

"Oh, Edward," she said as she smiled widely. "She looks absolutely beautiful." My heart stopped.

"You've seen her? She's here?" My heart sped up at the thought. Momma nodded. Maybe I could sneak away and find 'er. If I could just slip Riley…I broke from my thoughts when Dad chuckled.

"Don't even think about it," He warned. "Your sister would kill ya. She's got a guard dog among you, too, so you don't stand a chance."

"Who? I could buy 'em off." Momma giggled.

"It won't be much longer now." We all turned when there was a knock on the door. Riley stuck his head in with a large smile.

"Com' on, Ed," he said. "It's time to take our places."

"Be there in a minute," I promised. He nodded and backed out of the room.

"I guess it's time," Dad said.

"Finally." Momma sniffled. "No tears, Momma." I wiped at one before it could fall.

"They're happy tears. I'm so happy for you. Bella's a wonderful woman. She's gonna be a great addition to this family." The door opened, no knock this time, and Ali walked in.

"What's takin' so long?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"Hey little sis," I said and pulled her to me for a hug. She squeaked and pushed me away.

"Don't mess with the dress." I rolled my eyes then rubbed her tummy.

"Hey there, little nephew." Another shock, though I guess it shouldn't have been.

"I'm not far enough along to know the sex." Momma rubbed her tummy with a bright smile.

"He's a boy," Momma said. "I dreamed about him." She'd rubbed off on Ali. They both thought they were psychic or something.

"Come on, Bubba. Let's get you hitched." She grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room, Momma and Dad followin'.

We made our way down the path, past the Otters, past Monkey Island, by the manatees, and into the Aquarium Room. When we'd talked about venues and Bell suggested the Dallas World Aquarium, it felt right. The place where it all began…the perfect place for our marriage to begin. Not to mention, as a photographer, I knew there could be some amazing shots taken.

I made my way to the front of the room and took my place. I looked over the chairs filled with our guests. I was glad Bell wanted a small weddin'. We'd invited 50 people with some plus-ones. Last I heard, 67 RSVP'd.

In the front row were Momma, Daddy, Uncle Marcus, Aunt Di, and their daughter Heidi. I couldn't remember her date's name. Just across the aisle were Sammie, Ian and his girlfriend of four-months Melanie, Sue, and a chair for Charlie. I still had trouble callin' him that.

Seconds later, Riley jogged up and took his spot beside me. We'd opted for a wedding party of four: us, a Maid of Honor, Alice, and Best Man. A simple affair. Riley asked if I was ready, and I nodded. I was more than ready. It felt like just a second again when everyone stood and turned to face the back.

I stopped breathin'. There she was, lookin' more radiant than ever. Stunning really; she was stunning. Her dress, which I'd yet to see was simple, strapless, white and hugged her body closely. She was looking down, her cheeks a light pink. Charlie tugged at her arm, and when she looked up at him, he said something then nodded in my direction. She finally looked my way.

A small but warm smile lit up her face. Mine bloomed when I saw hers. I'm sure it looked like my face would split. She winked and my heart skipped a beat. She was mine. _Dear God, she's mine. How'd I get so lucky?_ It felt like an eternity before she was standing right there in front of me.

"I'm trusting you, son, with something very precious," Charlie said.

"I know, sir," I answered.

"Don't forget, I know how to use a gun, and I know how to hide a body. Perks of the job."

"Dad!" Bell gasped as our families in the front row chuckled. I didn't. I knew he could do it. I swallowed to try to wet my now dry throat.

"Yes, sir," I squeaked. How embarrassin'. Charlie turned to Bell and smiled sadly.

"You've found a good man. I know he'll take care of you, but just know, you'll always be my baby girl."

"Daddy." She took a deep breath to try to hide her tears.

"I love you," he said gruffly, then leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, too." He took her hand and placed it in mine. He took a seat next to Sue and pulled her into his side. I looked back at my beautiful bride.

"Hi," I said softly as I reached forward and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Hi," she whispered back.

"You look more beautiful than words." He smile was bright.

"Thank you." A throat cleared, but I didn't look away. I couldn't. She's captivated me so completely.

I vaguely remember hearing her say, "I do." That means I must have said it too. I don't know much else. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was mine. She was makin' herself mine in every possible way. I could see it in her eyes, all the love. Only love. Finally, after what felt like both an eternity and a blink of an eye, I heard the most beautiful words.

"You may now kiss your bride." I cupped her cheeks and leaned forward until they were just millimeters from hers.

"I love you," I whispered then pressed mine to hers softly.

She carded her fingers through my hair and kissed m e deeply. The catcalls, recognizably Emmett and Rose, reminded me we weren't alone. I pulled back, but Bell, unwillin' to part, leaned forward. My lips quirked up when she stumbled into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, craddlin' her to my body as people laughed. "Plenty of time for that later." Her eyes darted to all the people before she buried her face in my chest.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'm pleased to present, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen." I pried Bell from her hidin' spot and turned her to the crowd as everyone cheered.

**BPOV**

I drug my husband (I squealed inside each time I heard that) off the dance floor and back to our seats. My feet were killing me, my lower back ached, and I just wanted a few minutes of rest. I pushed him down in his chair then sat in his lap, snuggling into his arms. Man, did this feel good.

"How's my lovely wife?" he asked, his chest rumbling under my cheek as he spoke.

"Completely blissed out," I told him honestly. "How about my husband?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Mrs. Cullen." My heart swelled hearing him call me that. I turned and kissed him properly for the first time in six days. Stupid Ali, wanting to keep us apart all week. She's said it would be romantic, but it was just torture. "Mmm. I can't wait to get you to that little clearing." I shivered at the thought.

"We were honeymooning in New Zealand. He already had a day trip planned for us to go to Little Barrier Island where he'd done the Nat Geo shoot. I'd never been out of the country so I was beyond excited. He talked so highly of the country, the people, everything about it really. It seemed natural to pick it as our destination.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" he said as he reached for a champagne glass. He offered me the glass. My stomach rolled and the thought of drinking that ice cream/pop combination. I shook my head so he downed it in one gulp.

"Whoa," I said and took the glass from him. "Is everything okay?" it took a minute to answer.

"I know we've vaguely talked about kids." My stomach plummeted. _Oh no. _"It's always been an abstract concept, somethin' in the future, down the line. Em and Rose, Riley and Bree, Ben and Angela, now Jasper and Ali are expecting." _Please God. _"I don't know if you wanted to wait or if it's just something we haven't seriously discussed, but I don't think I want kids in the future." My heart stopped and tears immediately sprung to my eyes. "I think I want them now." _Wait! What?_ I looked at him curiously but his head was down. "Think about it.

"If we have a family soon, the kids will be close in age. They'll go to school together, play together, grow up together. They'll have the chance to be close. If we wait a few years, there's a chance that won't happen." His eyes finally met mine. He looked started, reached forward, and wiped away a tear I didn't know had fallen. "Baby, please don't cry. We don't have to. I just wanted you to think about it. It was just a thought." I shook my head.

"Is that really what you want?" I asked. "Please, be honest with me." He nodded hesitantly. I laughed. He stared at me with a look of concern so I tried to get myself under control. "Do you remember when I had that sinus infection six weeks ago?" He nodded. "Do you remember getting my antibiotics for me at CVS?" He nodded. "I had to take tem for two weeks even though I felt better after a few days."

"Yeah. So?"

"Edward, sometimes certain antibiotics can make the birth control you're taking ineffective." I watched as he scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. I willed him to un derstand. It only took a second for his brain to start functioning.

"Wh-are you-does-" He shook his head. "Are you telling me you're p-pregnant?" I bit my lip before nodding. The idea or thought of something was one things, and the realization was a whole other. He pulled my lips to his and kissed me feverishly. Relieif flooked me, and I kissed him back. His hand traveled down my arm and around to my stomach. He caressed it softly.

"Hey, you two," heard Ali say with a giggle. "Save it for the honeymoon." Edward pulled back and rested his forehead on mine.

"Thank you," He said softly. I just smiled.

"Look at them all lovey-dovey," I heard Rose say. I looked over to see Rose, Em, Jasper, and Ali standing close by. Ali took a seat and held her hand over her stomach.

"I had to rest," she said as Jasper rubbed her shoulders. "This little guy sure is keeping me tired."

"I know what you mean," Rose said as she sat. "It still gets me every time." She placed a hand on her stomach with a smile.

"Are you-" I said and pointed at her stomach. She smiled and nodded. Ali squealed and leaned over to pull Rose into a hug. "Congratulations." I stood to hug her once Ali had let her go then sat back in Edward's lap.

"Oh, Rose," Ali said. I could see the tears forming. "Our babies are gonna grow up together." I felt my own tears form. We'd be part of that now.

"Oh, dear Lord," Emmett said. "We're gonna have two pregnant women at once. The hormones are gonna be crazy."

"Actually," I said and Edward squeezed me with a smile. "It's three."

* * *

**AN: It's done. Hope you liked it more than I did. I'm gonna take a while off, outline the rewrite, and get started on that. I'm sorry to those who reviewed and didn't get a reply. I didn't have anything to send you way. :(**

**Let me know what you think. **


	22. Call for Plots

Most of you know, I'm taking a bit of a hiatus to work on the _Whirlwind_ rewrite. However, I don't want to only focus on _Whirlwind_ while I'm away. I think the reason _Gradual Healing_ was so successful for me was because I had side projects going throughout it too. I wasn't overwhelmed with the story.

So, I want to do that again. I'm not sure I feel up to doing contests, which made me think about how I would get the plots. I've decided I want them from you. You tell me what to write, and I'll write it (up to 2,000 words).

Have a plot bunny that's been running through your head? Want to see your favorite characters in a certain situation? Want to see a specific event from one of my existing stories? Let me know, and I'll try to write it up for you.

Send me a PM with your ideas for a one-shot, that way no one knows what's to come. Below is an example of what I need. You can copy this into a message if you want. Be specific about what you want! Just keep in mind that this is a one-shot, not a full story. Don't give me something that can't be covered in approximately 2,000 words (that's not a lot). For an idea of how long that is, check out "Waking to a New Life." :)

Pairing:

Stand-Alone or Existing Story (which):

Summary:

**Completed stories will be posted on my Author Page under "Reader Request."**


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